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NewsDay

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Put your house in order, ZC

Comment & Analysis
What is happening to Zimbabwean sport?

What is happening to Zimbabwean sport?

The forthcoming cricket tour by Bangladesh is being threatened by a row over contracts that have left interim national coach Stephen Mango go with 10 players to train.

Saddening to say the least. And we only thought such things happen at Zifa where disorder is the order of the day.

We have seen Stanbic pull out of sponsoring the domestic T20 championships and we thought it was a minor hump.

But what we have on our hands now is frightening and the sooner the new management of Wilfred Mukondiwa get their act together, the better. Mukondiwa met the players on Saturday and addressed them, reaching an amicable solution that seemed to point to a return to normalcy.

While we are not privy to what was discussed, we assume concessions were made by both sides and a return to industrial action might be a clear sign that some of the conditions were not met.

In their books, Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) knew the contracts of the players expired at the end of the domestic season on March 31 and they were aware that they had only 10 players on central contracts.

If it is the issue of finances, which is likely, then perhaps ZC should have tried to negotiate, maybe with six or seven more players to give Mangongo something to work with. Yes, he needs 11 players in each match, but he can operate with 10. And there are injury worries too that have kept Chris Mpofu, Ray Price and Tino Mawoyo out. A three-ay practice match which was to start yesterday has been called off as a result. What worries us even more is the delegation of one Bond Nayoto as the team manager. We are not saying he is incompetent, but ZC need someone with experience who fits in with the players easily and knows how to manage situations.

But if ZC believe this is the man who can handle the pressure and take the concerns of the players to the management, it’s fine. But if we don’t see any progress towards the resolution of the matter, then that is a problem.

For Mukondiwa and company, we hope the start of the week brings new tidings and progress and we are hopeful that by the end of day, Mangongo will have his full training squad. When players start preferring to play club cricket outside the country, then something must be wrong. And everything points to the issue of money.

Like any other organisation, money is always a problem and players need to make sacrifices here and there, but not always. They have families to feed as well.

ZC can only afford a daily allowance and not “winter contracts” that the players want. And now some of the players are working on deals in the United Kingdom and we do not need that ahead of the Bangladesh tour.

With the team itself losing heavily against the West Indies in their last tour, focus this time should have been on matters of the field and not off.