Zimbabwe board expels those it once honoured

Zimbabwe Cricket has stripped several former players and administrators of their honorary life president and vice-president status as part of a continuing cleansing of anyone opposed to the Peter Chingoka-led regime.

Those concerned had been honoured over the years for their massive contribution to expanding cricket in the country and for helping Zimbabwe to become a Test-playing country in 1992. They include Dave Ellman-Brown, Chingoka's predecessor as board chairman and David Lewis, a former captain and president of the ZCU.

Traditionally, anyone appointed in a position for life retains that post regardless of political machinations. But ZC appears not only to have casually brushed aside tradition but also failed to let any of those concerned know.

The situation came to light when Ellman-Brown called ZC to ask why he had not been sent notice of the AGM, which he is entitled to attend as a life president. After being passed through several departments he was told by Wilfred Mukondiwa, the board's general manager, that his status had "fallen away" with the replacement of the old constitution in 2006.

Ellman Brown told Cricinfo that he found the decision "high handed" and added that in his eyes a life appointment was just that, regardless of who made the appointment. Ironically, most of those stripped of the status were actually honoured while Chingoka was chairman of the board and were also his colleagues.

Those affected are:

Life Presidents: Alwyn Pichanick, Dave Ellman-Brown.

Life Vice Presidents: David Lewis, Don Arnott, Bryan Thorne.

"Pichanick and I were appointed honorary life members of MCC for our contribution to cricket in Zimbabwe," reflected Ellman-Brown. "I am sure they will honour our appointment whoever the government of the day is."