ZIMBABWE Cricket (ZC) is one organisation that never stays away from controversy.
NewsDay Editorial
On Monday, the union decided to fire selector Wayne James simply because he chose to disagree, or rather, he had a different view of the composition of the national team that was going to face South Africa in the third one-day international (ODI) in Bulawayo last Thursday.
ZC managing director Wilfred Mukondiwa wrote the letter to James, but did not give reasons for his dismissal from the committee and all the other committees. We don’t need to guess, however.
We think, any argument or debate must enrich decisions and strengthen whatever position will be taken going forward. It’s just too trivial to fire somebody because his views differ from yours.
It’s just Mickey Mouse stuff.
But James should have known better: You cannot have your say against Stephen Mangongo and Givemore Makoni — the all-powerful convenor of selectors — and get away with it.
Makoni, it should be remembered, when things don’t go his way, is the first person to cry racism and rush to selected media to say so.
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James thought Brendan Taylor and Hamilton Masakadza had done nothing to deserve being dropped from the team and this kind of statement did not impress Makoni at all, worse when it came to the Test captain, Taylor.
Masakadza was eventually spared.
Over the weekend, Makoni clearly stated to NewsDay that Taylor, Masakadza and other senior players were ordinary folks and this was clearly a pointer to what was coming..
What we have observed at the senior national cricket team is that talent is not the issue, but affiliation, and decisions are simply made on emotions.
We have always stated, and we will do so again, without fear or favour, that the national cricket team is simply a Harare/Takashinga boys’ club and anybody not associated with that must stay away.
We have seen Heath Streak and Grant Flower leave, not because they did not offer anything to Zimbabwe cricket, but because they are not in the same club as others.
Gary Ballance was told he was not good enough even after representing Zimbabwe at the Under-19 World Cup in 2006 while also developing his career in county cricket with Derbyshire. He has 729 runs so far for England and his highest is 156.
Perhaps there is more than meets the eye at ZC. The real stench smells now.
The powers-that-be are seemingly controlled from elsewhere where anybody who dares question the decisions of the blue-eyed boys must be shown the exit.
This is not how to run cricket. Talent is abundant, but is being suppressed and frustrated at every turn by those in charge.
ZC needs to look at the bigger picture and embrace talent from across the country, embrace different views from everyone and cast aside race and tribe. They can do better and have the capabilities do so, but are simply choosing to swim in the dark.
This is not the time to fight, this is the time to hold together for the betterment of the game because, together, there is so much more we can achieve.
