Provinces move behind Zimbabwe board

Less than a week after a meeting of provincial chairman in Harare which discussed passing a motion of no confidence in the Zimbabwe Cricket board, three of the provinces have distanced themselves from proceedings. Manicaland, Midlands and Masvingo have since written to Peter Chingoka, the ZC chairman giving him their backing.

A report in today's Zimbabwe Independent newspaper said that Caesar Bond Nayoto, on behalf of Midlands clubs, had disowned Tim Savory, who attended the chairmen's meeting as the provincial chairman, and were challenging his mandate as chairman.

The Masvingo board, whose chairman Max Ebrahim was part of the provincial chairmen's meeting last week, claimed it had "learnt with shock" about the meeting and insisted that Ebrahim had not consulted his board.

Manicaland board member Phillip Matiza and representatives of three clubs in the province wrote a joint letter denouncing their board chairman Allan Walsh's "unilateral decisions and actions". A spokesman for the chairman said that a vote had not been taken but they were compiling a list of grievances which would be submitted to the board.

An ICC spokesman said: "This is an internal matter for the stakeholders of Zimbabwe cricket. We do not seek to get involved in the domestic matters of our members."