Education, Sport, Arts and Culture minister David Coltart was delighted when the national cricket team left for their tour of New Zealand early this week, having personally advocated for the island nation in the south-western Pacific Ocean to renew cricket ties with Zimbabwe in 2009.
However, like everyone within the local cricket circles he was disappointed by the omission of opening batsman Vusi Sibanda from the team that left for New Zealand on Monday.
Responding to comments from disgruntled cricket fans on the social networking site Facebook, Coltart urged sports associations to select players on merit and avoid conflicts with athletes.
I too am sorry Vusi (Sibanda) is not in, but I think it is too strong to say we have been betrayed. I continue to urge all disciplines of sport that we choose the best players possible and that we continually work on keeping relations between players and administrators as healthy as possible, wrote Coltart.
This is after numerous fans had let their feelings known, questioning the Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) committees decision to wield the axe on the in-form player.
We are angry about the Vusi Sibanda situation. We feel betrayed by the cricket administration. We have lost all interest and our passion for the team is dead. Hon Minister do something about this situation before we the fans walk out on our team, said Percy Mashaire (Jr).
Regis Mafukidze also took a swipe at ZC officials over their decision: My appetite for cricket is always spoilt by poor decisions by ZC officials. First they chased away white players and some experienced blacks because of politics and now they are saying Sibanda doesnt qualify.
Sibanda fell out with ZC officials and was dropped from the side after he left to play league cricket in Australia during November and December without clearance.
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The opener was one of Zimbabwes best performers after returning to the Test arena last year following the countrys six-year self-imposed exile.
Sibanda was an integral part of Zimbabwes Test comeback. He scored 78 against Bangladesh in their first Test of the new era, which Zimbabwe won by 130 runs.
He also contributed an important 93 in the 34-run loss to New Zealand in Bulawayo two months later.
As one of their most senior players in the Zimbabwe squad, Sibanda was also part of the leadership team. Despite the snub, Sibandas chances of representing Zimbabwe again are not over.
He is currently playing for the Rhinos on a pay-as-you-play basis and will renegotiate a contract at the start of the next season.
