• Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.

    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

**Official** Zimbabwe Domestic Season

Chubb

International Regular
Oh dear...

Another defeat by Kenya adds to Zimbabwe's woes

Cricinfo staff

October 15, 2005

Kenya 117 (Ewing 4-16, Utseya 4-16) beat Zimbabwe A 87 (Ongondo 4-33, Aga 4-14) by 30 runs
Scorecard

Zimbabwe cricket suffered another major blow at the Harare Academy ground on Saturday when Kenya beat Zimbabwe A by 30 runs in a low-scoring match played on a substandard pitch.

While a defeat of the A team might not appear serious, the reality is that this was a virtually full-strength side, led by Heath Streak and with eight of those who had played in Zimbabwe's most recent ODI against India last month. After losing to Kenya by an innings inside two days earlier in the week, Zimbabwe's selectors clearly took the decision to field a virtual first team in a bid to win. The move backfired.

Kenya won the toss and batted, but runs were always hard to come by on a pitch with variable bounce. Only Kennedy Otieno (34) really got started, while Prosper Utseya and Gavin Ewing both took 4 for 16. There were 29 extras, a number which turned out to be crucial.

Zimbabwe A, who had been bowled out for 73 by Kenya on Wednesday, again showed inadequate technique and were skittled for 87. Peter Ongondo took 4 for 33 and Rageb Aga 4 for 14.

A spokesman for the Kenyans said that he was "delighted", adding that this was the best moment for Kenya since the 2003 World Cup.

In Zimbabwe, the Sunday Mail said: "The deplorable outcome begins to lend credence to the fact that Zimbabwe Cricket refused to grant full Test status to this encounter because they feared being embarrassed by a team that plays in an inferior league. "
 

Chubb

International Regular
Anything ZC can do, Mash can do better...

Internal row grows increasingly bitter

Mashonaland split on the cards

Cricinfo staff

October 14, 2005

Six of Mashonaland's leading clubs are on the verge of ceding from the Mashonaland Cricket Association and forming their own splinter league as the long-running dispute between clubs and board rumbles on.

The increasingly erratic Mashonaland board expelled the six clubs - Harare Sports Club, Old Hararians, Old Georgians, Alexandra, Takashinga and Universals - after they scrapped their opening league matches in protest at the way the MCA was being run. They were accused of bringing the game into disrepute. The MCA immediately revised the first division fixtures: of all the sides who played in the 2004-05 competition, only Uprising where included, with the rest made up from clubs in the second tier.


The situation turned nasty last weekend when Cyprian Mandenge, the MCA chairman, and Bruce Makovah, the province's head selector, backed by local policemen, walked onto the ground during the match between Harare Sports Club and Old Hararians at Harare Sports Club and refused to allow the game to proceed. It is alleged that players were racially abused and threatened with never playing for the province again.

The MCA now face a real problem. While it has expelled the clubs, the six contain almost all the province's regional and national players. An official of one of the clubs told the Zimbabwe Independent newspaper: "We have got most of the national team players, and nothing will stop us from playing cricket. We do not need quantity cricket, we need quality cricket. If it means the six top clubs in the country playing among themselves, then it's actually a good thing for our cricket."

Ozias Bvute, Zimbabwe Cricket's managing director, told reporters that the board would only get involved when a formal notification of events was presented to it. "What we have been hearing are just rumours and we do not work on the basis of rumours," he said. "Mashonaland is an independent body and there has to be some level of autonomy. But it is certainly a cause for concern for us when our affiliates are squabbling."


The problem affects ZC more than those comments suggest. Mandenge, as chairman of the MCA, is on the board of ZC, and Makovah was named as a national selector, although the appointment is on hold because of procedural anomalies. If the pair, as a number of witnesses claim, did threaten and abuse players, it raises serious image issues for Zimbabwe Cricket at a time it has done much to publicly clean up its act.

© Cricinfo
 

Chubb

International Regular
:blink: :huh:

Province lurches towards crisis

Mashonaland board ruled illegal

Cricinfo staff

October 17, 2005

The dispute inside the Mashonaland Cricket Association took another twist at the weekend with the revelation in the Zimbabwe Standard that a Harare court has ruled that the current board is holding office illegally.

The newspaper claimed to have possession of documents relating to a court case in June in which it was found that the MCA, led at the time by Tavengwa Mukuhlani, was not constitutionally elected. Mukuhlani resigned last month blaming ongoing disputes in the province for his decision, and was replaced by Cyprian Mandenge.

Rather bizarrely, Mandenge, who was vice-chairman of the MCA at the time, was named in the court papers as being one of those challenging the legality of the very board he now heads.

The revelations are another stain on the MCA, which is now embroiled in a bitter war with its own member clubs. Last week, it expelled six clubs from its main league alleging indiscipline on their part.

Mandenge was one of those who allegedly stopped a league game between two of the expelled clubs in Harare the weekend before last, with witnesses claiming that players were threatened and racially abused.

© Cricinfo
 

brockley

International Captain
Streak calls it a day?




Have your say
Write a letter to the editor
Post on our bulletin board
Vote on our opinion polls

Interact
Sign up for daily emails
Sign up for newsflashes
Order a copy of the newspaper









Streak could return to Edgbaston
Next Story | Previous Story | Back to list
Be the first reader to comment on this story
23:31 - 17 October 2005
Zimbabwe all-rounder Heath Streak claims he will return to Warwickshire for the 2006 season.

Streak, who took 26 wickets in eight matches for Warwickshire last season, is also thought to be a possible future Bears captain in place of Nick Knight.

Streak told Zimbabwe newspaper, The Sunday News, he would take up Warwickshire's contract offer for the next two seasons and would give them priority over Zimbabwe. "I have decided to take up the contract offer at Warwickshire for the 2006/07 season," he said.

He added: "They have also offered me the job of the captaincy. I am not sure what the Zimbabwe Cricket plans are, I have not discussed anything with them, and I am still willing to play club and provincial cricket.

"I cannot rule out playing for Zimbabwe in the future, outside my Warwickshire contract which takes priority."

Streak had been offered the best contract by Zimbabwe Cricket for the 2005/06 season but none of the players have signed the contracts as yet.

Eight months after rejoining the Zimbabwe national team and being appointed vice-captain Streak looks set to miss the tour of the West Indies in April and May of next year when they will play two Tests and five one-day matches because it would conflict with the start of Warwickshire's season.
 

Chubb

International Regular
:-O

Heath Streak puts county before country

Cricinfo staff

October 18, 2005

Warwickshire have confirmed that Heath Streak has been appointed as their captain for the next two seasons, a move which means that he has possibly played his last game for Zimbabwe.

Streak, who has spent the last two summers at Edgbaston, was reported to have grown disenchanted with the constant in-fighting inside Zimbabwe cricket. Although he was been offered a new contract by Zimbabwe Cricket he did not sign it, and the offer from Warwickshire led to him quitting international cricket.

But he has not ruled out a return at some time. "I cannot rule out playing for Zimbabwe in the future, outside my Warwickshire contract which takes priority," he said. "I am not sure what the Zimbabwe Cricket plans are. I have not discussed anything with them, and I'm still willing to play club and provincial cricket."

Streak joined Warwickshire in 2004, and although his appearances were limited by international calls, he made a strong impression and his appointment will be welcomed by both players and spectators alike.

"I am honoured to be appointed as captain," Streak said. "The club has a proud history and I'm looking forward to working with the players, staff and supporters to bring more silverware in the future.

"I've enjoyed playing for Zimbabwe immensely but I have decided to retire from international cricket in order to fulfil my contractual commitments with Warwickshire. I hope that one day I can assist Zimbabwe cricket again in its efforts to develop."

Mark Greatbatch, the county's director of cricket, said: "Heath has had an outstanding international career and we are fortunate to secure his services as he has all the qualities that are vital in a club captain. All the players and management staff are looking forward to having him back next season."


I'm absolutely gutted. I'm afraid to say Heath has gone down a long way in my estimation, I never imagined he would do something like this. I can understand it, but I can't forgive it. He was offered a top-level contract, unlike guys like Trevor Gripper, Marillier and Rogers who are still trying to get back into the international scene... Heath has forfeited my respect for him. Sorry, this is just wrong, and extremely hypocritical of him.

He led the rebellion, he cost Rayzer and Ervine and Friend and the others their careers, then he comes back despite the problems, undermining the rebellion, and now he has decided to quit for the money. Sorry, Heath, that's just wrong.
 
Last edited:

Chubb

International Regular
Allan Mwayenga, Waddy's brother, a left arm seamer who plays for Manicaland, took 10-4-28-4 for Zim U23s today against Kwa-Zulu Natal. Ketshwayo's men are 286-7 after day one, Greg Strydom took two wickets and Eddie Rainsford one too.

EC Rainsford, CB Mpofu, A Mwayenga, GM Strydom, S Matsikenyeri,
GM Ewing, C de Grandhomme, *+A Maregwede, MA Vermeulen,
IM Chinyoka, TN Garwe.

Apparently Innocent has managed to keep his sticky fingers in his pockets today. It'll be interesting to see how the batsmen do tomorrow, look out for de Grandhomme.
 

Chubb

International Regular
This is just getting insane...

Zimbabwe facing crisis as stakeholders revolt

Steven Price in Harare

October 22, 2005






Zimbabwe cricket was heading towards another crisis after the provincial associations passed a vote of no confidence on the Peter Chingoka-led Zimbabwe Cricket board at an emergency meeting in Harare on Friday night.

The meeting at the Old Hararians club was attended by chairmen of Masvingo, Manicaland, Matabeleland, Midlands, Matabelaland Country Districts, Mashonaland Country Districts and Mashonaland, as well as players' representatives.

However, Mashonaland, the most influential single province, who are themselves embroiled in an internal power struggle, were represented by Cyprian Mandenge, who leads the pro-ZC board faction, and Elvis Sembezeya who heads the anti-ZC board faction. As a result, the two did not have a say in the proceedings.

The other six provincial associations passed a vote of no-confidence in the national board, and that motion will be communicated to Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive, on Monday. They also demanded the appointment of a forensic auditor to investigate the board's finances amid growing reports of irregularities.

The result of the vote is that Zimbabwe Cricket will almost certainly have to call a special general meeting within 21 days to hear the views of all stakeholders. However, in a bid to avert the potential embarrassment of a no-confidence motion being passed then, ZC have announced the creation of five new provinces - Mashonaland West, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Matabaleleand South and Matabeleland North - despite the fact that critics claim there is precious little cricket played in these regions.

The new provinces are likely to vote in favour of the existing regime. One, Mashonaland West, already have an executive - Themba Mliswa. He is a well-known figure and was described as a pro-Mugabe activist who has been involved in activities close to the ruling Zanu-PF party.

According to a source at the club on Friday, Mliswa interrupted proceedings and claimed that he had been sent by the state security department to call it off as it was an illegally convened meeting of the opposition MDC party. It seems that word of his likely disruption was leaked in advance and local police were on site to remove him.

Earlier in the day an emergency ZC board meeting did not take place after the directors once again failed to constitute a quorum as signs of cracks grew deeper.

Most board members failed to turn up for the meeting on Friday in a move insiders said was a protest against the way some executives have been unilaterally making unpopular decisions. The sources say there has been internal divergence in ZC against the selection process used chose three new directors appointed on the ZC board this week. Wilson Manase, a lawyer, Charlie Robertson, chairman of Mashonaland Country Districts, and Tavengwa Mukuhlani, the controversial former chairman of the Mashonaland Cricket Association, were appointed to the board this week, replacing ZC managing director Ozias Bvute, and former directors Hemant Patel and Rick Pettipher.

This latest showdown follows weeks of player unrest over contracts and the dismissal of Phil Simmons as national coach. Three cricketers - Heath Streak, Stuart Carlisle and Craig Wishart - have announced their retirement in the last month while others have made clear their deep unease with the way the national game is being administered.

On the field, a sequence of dismal results were capped this week when an almost full-strength ZImbabwe A side were whitewashed 3-0 in Harare by Kenya.

© Cricinfo
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
ZImbabwe Under 23's went down to KwaZulu-Natal by a massive 122 runs, but there were some promising signs from some of the players.

Alan Mwayenga took 5/41 in the first innings, while De Grandhomme scored 45 and 50 and Vermeulen chipped in with 17 and 47. Ewing made up for a poor first innings with a respectable second innings, scoring 34 and taking 2/39. Rainsford and Mpofu seemed to bowl fairly well too, and were a bit underbowled in both innings.

The game was actually fairly even apart from the Zimbabwean first innings where they scored a misely 147. They were 4-140 at one stage, meaning they lost 6 wickets for just seven runs in a horrible calapse which included three ducks in a row.

Scorecard:
http://aus.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/...ECARDS/KZN_ZIM-U23_UCB-PROV_20-22OCT2005.html
 

Craig

World Traveller
It will get to the point when Norway will be beating Zimbabwe with ease and yet the ICC will continue to put their heads into the sand and do nothing.

Crisis in Zimbabwe? What crisis in Zimbabwe?
 

Burpey

Cricketer Of The Year
Craig said:
It will get to the point when Norway will be beating Zimbabwe with ease and yet the ICC will continue to put their heads into the sand and do nothing.

Crisis in Zimbabwe? What crisis in Zimbabwe?
Well said
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
Zimbabwe got absolutely trolloped in the one-day match against KwaZulu-Natal as well, going down by 108 runs. Lots of very worrying performances, but Vermeulen looks in excellent touch - he scored a nearly run-a-ball 65. Gavin Ewing also played decently, and Matanga bowled 6 overs 1/18 (yes, amid this awful performance, these bowling figures were actually a highlight...)
 

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
Craig said:
What does Matanga usually bowl?
Unfortunately for Zimbabwe, Im pretty sure hes an off spinner. If theres one area the current Zim side actually have covered, its one day specialist off spin bowlers.
 

Chubb

International Regular
The President's XI were bowled out for 94 today North Zone in the Duleep Trophy. The only two batsmen to get into double figures were Neil Ferreira and Chappie Coventry. North Zone are 62-0 in reply. Vusi got a duck, as did Ham, and a few others as well.
 

Top