Rebels keen to return

[Paoli]

Assurances needed from Zimbabwe Cricket

Streak says rebels keen to return
Steven Price

January 25, 2005







Heath Streak: 'Most of the guys now want to come back but we need assurances on selection' © Getty Images
Last week's news that talks had started between the remaining rebels and the Zimbabwe board was welcomed by almost everyone, and Cricinfo has learned that another meeting has been planned for this Wednesday (January 26). Eight dissenting players - Heath Streak, Stuart Carlisle, Trevor Gripper, Grant Flower, Andy Blignaut, Raymond Price, Neil Ferreira and Craig Wishart – are involved.

In an exclusive interview with Zimbabwe's Sunday News, Streak said that most of the players were keen to return but needed assurances on a number of issues. "Most of the guys now want to come back but we need assurances on selection. We need a competent panel made up of people who have at least played first-class cricket. Macsood Ebrahim should not be on the panel. He did not play first-class cricket and the players do not trust him anymore."

Ozias Bvute, the board's managing director, and Ebrahim, the chief selector, are the two figures the rebels identify as being behind most of the problems which have blighted Zimbabwean cricket in the last year or so. The ICC report on racism last October noted that selection issues and the functioning of ZC directors needed to be "seriously addressed by the senior and mature people within Zimbabwe cricket."

It has also being reported that Sean Ervine and Blignaut, who had signed up with Australian state sides, are now considering returning as they have found the going tough. Both have struggled to make their state sides, and Blignaut, who returned to Zimbabwe for Christmas, told the Sunday News, that he was still contracted to Tasmania but he was considering his options

"I am just waiting to see how these negotiations go then I can make a decision, " he said. "I have an agreement with Tasmania that if things get sorted out here I can come back and play. I really want to play for my country."

Streak said left-arm spinner Raymond Price would not terminate his contract with English county side Worcestershire unless he is guaranteed a future in Zimbabwe cricket. "Guys are not going to terminate their Kolpak contracts which guarantee them a source of living unless they are guaranteed a future in Zimbabwe. Most of them were forced to take up the contracts after being unemployed for a long time and cricket is their livelihood."

Streak added that returning players wanted assurances and longer commitment from the board, and that might mean three-year contracts. "Zimbabwe Cricket cannot give players one-year contracts. Young players should be given three-year contracts. Youngsters like Sean Ervine should get three-year deals," he said, although he admitted that was unlikely.







© Cricinfo

[imaginarydiva]

OMG!I think I am gonna cry.If this whole thing is sorted out I really must plan ahead for a huuuuuuge celebration.

[Paoli]

Originally Posted by imaginarydiva

OMG!I think I am gonna cry.If this whole thing is sorted out I really must plan ahead for a huuuuuuge celebration.

Errrrr!!!! It will be good, but as for some party and crying...No thanks lol

[imaginarydiva]

Damn!Ur such a heartbreaker.LOL!I am j/k.Anyways if the guys are back,do u have an approximate date as to when they will?

[Paoli]

I've said this many times and you really have to understand how complex the Zimbabwe situation is. In Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Cricket is semi (actually closer to fully) controlled by the Mugabe government. Ozais Bvute and Macsood Ebrahim are mouthpieces for the Mugabe government and Peter Chingoka is slowly becoming a fearsome fixture.

ZC doesn't back down at their weakest of times. We would have seen that recently when they didn't back down to Mashonaland (the strongest province)'s complaints about the rebranding of Zimbabwe Cricket. It cost close to 600, 000 pounds ($1.5 mil AUD) and Mashonaland disapproved. Mashonaland is primarily run by black administrators. If Chingoka was to rock the boat slightly and back down, Zimbabwe Cricket would become a government owned association. Bvute's recent appointment of managing director is likely to strike the wrong end of any white players in the side.

Now, if ZC weren't going to back down to a primarily black association, in the current government situation, where the primary aim is to ship whites out of Zimbabwe. you wouldn't expect them to do any favours to whites would you?? What the rebel group want (who all are incidentally white) is for Mascood Ebrahim to go. They will get themselves into death's corner if they were to make political statements. They say Ebrahim should go because he has never played first-class cricket, which is fair enough. However, the appointment of Ebrahim is a purely governmentally motivated appointment. It is to make sure that whites are shipped out. It is to cut their careers short. Gavin Rennie, Alistair Campbell and the rebel group ring bells don't they?? So, ZC are not going to get rid of Ebrahim because it will then become the ZANU-PF Cricket Board.

If the players can get rid of Ebrahim, good on them and they should then come back. They will not get rid of Bvute unless he literally dies. They have to forget the quota system because they are racially outnumbered. Taibu could be in the side on merit. So could Masakadza. As could Hondo and Panyangara, and Utseya in the one day game. The quota system is right, but the way it is being conducted is wrong. This is really the last straw for the rebels. The selection issue must be forgotten or else they can say goodbye to the country they love.

I hope this clears up everyones understandings.

[imaginarydiva]

Well it sure cleared mine.Ty.

[bdmoderator]

Great News.

[Seamer]

I have never understood why SthAfrica was kicket out of cricket for aparthied against blacks yet Zimbabwae gets away with it doing the same against whites. Double standards and a gutless ICC in my opinion.

[Pete]

Grant Flower's on the phone during the break of the Zimbabwe / South Africa one day match. He says he won't go back in the next 2 years and that he's going to honour his contract with Essex.

[Richie Benauds Love Child]

Heath Streak has said he'll go back, despite (to my very limited knowledge) nothing changing.