Meth calls for ICC intervention

Meth calls for ICC intervention

June 19th, 2014

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Keegan Meth

Keegan Meth

GRACE CHIRUMANZU -

Zimbabwean all-rounder, Keegan Meth, believes the International Cricket Council (ICC) has to intervene in the running of the game locally if the country’s fortunes in the sport are to change for the better.

Local cricket has, in recent years, been rocked by player boycotts and allegations of maladministration against the Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) administration, while the national cricket team’s performances on the international stage have been disappointing.

Late last year local cricketers embarked on a strike, disrupting domestic competitions as well as the team’s preparations for the ICC World Twenty20.

Yesterday, Meth, who is currently on a break from international cricket with “family issues to sort out over the past year after marrying a Canadian girl and having to sort out legal issues with my wife and two lovely step kids, Oliver and Savannah to move to Africa”, added his voice to the growing murmurs of discontent over the state of the local game.

“It (cricket) has been tough since I made my debut in 2006. Money has always been an issue and this is simply because ZC has not been run properly from the top,” said Meth.

“We need the International Cricket Council to intervene and really take charge. Cricket is a business and it is not being run like one and it seems the world does not care that we have great talent in this country and we are losing it to other countries.”

The gentlemen’s game, as cricket is known, has handsomely rewarded international players like Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, one of the cricket legends Sachin Tendulkar, stylish former England batsman Kevin Petersen, former and current Australian captains Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke, respectively.

By contrast, Zimbabwean players continue to struggle to feed their families despite their toil on the cricket field.

Meth believes the little hope there is for Zimbabwe’s cricket revival will be crushed if ZC do not put their administration in order.

“It (cricket) is poorly run and we simply do not play enough games to get opportunities to play in big lucrative competitions like the Indian Premier League. We play because we love the game, but no Zimbabwean player will make a great living from cricket until we have it run properly,” he said.

“I look forward to a comeback in international cricket, I love my country and I love playing in the red strip. My family will always come first, but cricket is a major part of my life and I wish the guys all the best.”

The Matabeleland Tuskers right-arm medium-fast bowler, in 2011 lost his two front teeth on the pitch after being hit by a ball from batsman Nasir Hossain during Bangladesh’s tour to Zimbabwe.

He now laughs about the incident and is more worried about how Zimbabwe will perform when they host Australia and South Africa in August, than his missing teeth..

Zimbabwe will face the Proteas in a one-off Test match from August 9-13 before a One Day International (ODI) series that will involve the Aussies and Meth hopes the Chevrons will rise to the occasion and prove a force to reckon with against the world cricket powerhouses.

“It will be an advantage to play at home against the Aussies and Proteas although we need to get the crowds down to the games,” he said.

“Late winter will suite our bowlers and after losing Grant Flower (batting coach), our batsmen need to be ready to put on decent scores. That will not be easy especially when playing against two of the world’s top sides,” said Meth.