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Striking Zimbabwe cricketers need a 'lifeline'

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Opening post

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/96 ... a-lifeline


Zimbabwe's unpaid and frustrated cricketers will have a second meeting with their board chairman to try to end a two-month strike that has already caused the cancellation of Afghanistan's first overseas tour.

Captain Brendan Taylor said Tuesday that players met with Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Peter Chingoka over the weekend and will sit down again today in an attempt to ''resolve the current crisis and give cricket a lifeline''.

The Zimbabwe board's long-running financial crisis has threatened the team's preparations for the World Twenty20 tournament in Bangladesh starting in March.

''We feel this has gone on for too long and in the process we have lost lots of valuable practice time,'' Taylor said.

''(We) would want to get over it and concentrate on the core business, which is playing cricket, especially considering that we have the World T20 coming up soon.''

Zimbabwe's struggling cricket board owes US$15 million (NZ$18m) to a local bank and has applied to the International Cricket Council for another loan of US$3m (NZ$3.7m).

It cancelled this month's Afghanistan tour and was also unable to host Sri Lanka late last year because of money problems. Players boycotted domestic matches last month because they hadn't been paid.

Zimbabwe's series against Pakistan last year was also marred by problems over the non-payment of players and the Zimbabweans threatened to go on strike then before a short-term solution was found.

After the players were promised payment, Zimbabwe beat Pakistan in the second test for its first victory over a major cricket nation in over a decade. However, players won't play this time until they are paid, Taylor said.

''While we would want to get back to the game as soon as possible, the group's feeling is that it's quite difficult for us to do so until ZC have met their end of the bargain,'' Taylor said.
ZCF OriginalZCF Hall of Famer
This problem won't ever go away until Zimbabwe becomes a profitable team. Even non corrupt boards like SLC and NZC are basically broke since cricket isn't a popular sport. SL players boycotted just last year over payments. But compared to ZC those two boards have broadcast revenue which is the bulk of a team's revenues.

If ZC are waiting on WT20 money, that wont come till after the tourney is over. How will ZC pay the players weeks before so they can practice ahead of the tournament?

Things just dont seem viable.
Bangladesh cricket fanatic, observer of all others.
ZCF OriginalZCF Hall of Famer
I think they need to get jobs. ZC has no money, and none is coming in this month at least.
My All-time Zimbabwe XI
Neil Johnson, Brendan Taylor, Murray Goodwin, Andy Flower (w), David Houghton, Sean Williams, Heath Streak (c), Andy Blignaut, Paul Strang, Eddo Brandes, Blessing Muzarabani
ZCF OriginalZCF Hall of Famer
No progress yet, more meetings follow: http://www.dailynews.co.zw/articles/201 ... ng-players


HARARE - Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) chairman Peter Chingoka and his managing director Wilfred Mukondiwa will today hold a meeting with players’ representatives in an effort to resolve the crippling impasse between cricketers and the board.

The country’s cricketers, both national and provincial, are currently on strike over outstanding dues in salaries and bonus.

Long-serving chairman Chingoka on Saturday met with the players’ representatives, but the meeting was deferred to today after the two parties failed to reach an agreement.

The outcome of the meeting today is set to shed more light on whether the domestic league will recommence this weekend as scheduled, or not.

National team captain Brendan Taylor said his teammates are keen to return to training to prepare for March’s ICC World Twenty20 in Bangladesh, but ZC must first fulfil its end of the bargain.

“We feel this has gone on for too long and in the process we have lost lots of valuable practice time and would want to get over it and concentrate on the core business, which is playing cricket, especially considering that we have the World T20 coming up soon,” Taylor told the Daily News yesterday.

“But while we would want to get back to the game as soon as possible, the group’s feeling is that it’s quite difficult for us to do so until ZC have met their end of the bargain. We had a meeting with the chairman on Saturday and will have another one tomorrow, together with the MD (Mukondiwa) as well, and hopefully it will be able to resolve the current crisis and give cricket a lifeline.”

Chingoka, who has once again come under increased pressure to step down after more than 20 years at the helm of ZC, could only say:

“We are trying to work our way through it and we should be in a position to issue a statement once everything is sorted out.”
ZCF Hall of Famer
How much of a difference would it make if PC actually stood down ?????

It seems we're in too much financial ruin for it to make too much of an effect .....
ZCF OriginalZCF Hall of Famer
Chingoka standing down will change nothing financially. It might help the players regain some trust in ZC however. That being said, Chingoka may be bad, but the Zanoids could appoint someone far worse.
My All-time Zimbabwe XI
Neil Johnson, Brendan Taylor, Murray Goodwin, Andy Flower (w), David Houghton, Sean Williams, Heath Streak (c), Andy Blignaut, Paul Strang, Eddo Brandes, Blessing Muzarabani
this is starting to sound very much like our football team in the last 7 or 8 years...maybe benjani wouldn't mind sponsoring cricket as he did our football team (and the govt...paying electricity bills and the like...)
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