'All I've wanted is to be involved with Zimbabwe cricket'

Paul Strang, who was a Test regular for Zimbabwe in the 1990s, has said that he is very pleased to be involved with the English tour of the "Red Lions", a team made up of Zimbabwe rebel cricketers, next month. "I'll be playing for the Zimbabwe World XI," he said, "which is made up basically of ex-players - players who are no longer in the country or the national side but used to be part of it."

Strang, who's still only 33, played 24 Tests, scoring 839 runs (including a century) and took 70 wickets with his loopy legspin. He also played 93 one-dayers, in which he took 96 wickets, including 5 for 21 against Kenya (and 4 for 40 against India) in the 1996 World Cup. For the past two years, he has been spending his summers playing cricket in the north of England, for Wallasey in Liverpool. "I'm thoroughly enjoying it. I've been playing as well as doing some coaching," he said. "What's happening to the Zimbabwe players now happened to me about a year ago. I was sort of phased out. But I am thoroughly enjoying playing my cricket here now."

One of the main reasons for the tour was to raise money to pay for the massive legal fees incurred by the rebels during their altercations with the Zimbabwe Cricket Union, as most of the players have been unemployed since they were finally sacked a few weeks ago. However, during the week-long tour, the players will also be attending fund-raising events, including a special day in aid of two good causes, the Cricketers' Trust and the Zimbabwe Pensioners' Trust.

"It's good that they're doing that," said Strang. "I'm not sure what the situation regarding legal fees is, but the cost of living in Zimbabwe has just sky-rocketed, and a lot of the old-age pensioners are really struggling, so it's very good that they're doing something to help that."

Cricket in Zimbabwe has gone downhill quickly in recent times. The economic crisis in the country, not helped by fuel shortages, had led to a player exodus which hit the first-class game even before the dispute between the board and the so-called rebels. Strang admitted that the last season was "incredibly disorganised".

He went on: "Where the ZCU have gone wrong in one area is that the guys who did the hard yards through the '80s and '90s have not really been used for coaching and things like that. They're not really involved any more. Dave Houghton has been involved a little bit, but there are lots of people who really should have been used to strengthen Zimbabwe cricket, using their experience in coaching, especially at first-class level."

Strang explained that there were several ex-players who would still have something to give to Zimbabwe cricket, if only they were given the chance. "We're a bit older, we're not as quick or fit as the young guys, but we still have a lot to give, especially in first-class cricket, which is the base for the national team," he said. "For the last two years all I've wanted was to be involved in Zimbabwe cricket, and I've made that clear to them. I would still like to be involved."

Though there is no resolution in sight for Zimbabwean cricket's problems, Strang is optimistic that the game can be turned around for the better. "I'm always quite optimistic. We're still the most patriotic guys. We're optimistic, and you have to believe change is around the corner. But at the moment there is a problem of a lack of trust. They could offer me the greatest job in the world, and I'd still look at it a little cynically."

So far, only three games have been organised for the Red Lions tour, with the second of these, against the Zimbabwe World XI including Strang, in Wimbledon on July 16. "The game is on the Friday, which is a bit of a problem for me because I have to get back up here to play afterwards," said Strang, "so I can't be as involved as I would have liked, but I'm very pleased to be playing.

"I wanted them to play up north as well. There are a lot of good players up here, a lot of professionals, so I would have liked to have seen them play a game up here, but I guess there are problems with logistics. But all the players are very excited. I just spoke to Doug Marillier and he's very excited to be playing."