Bvute defends performance-related contracts

Ozias Bvute, the managing director of Zimbabwe Cricket, has defended the controversial policy of issuing new contracts to their professional players based on performance in terms of runs, wickets and fielding.

Senior players Heath Streak, Tatenda Taibu and Andy Blignaut have already met the criteria but more than 20 others will be assessed by a panel including national team manager Babu Meman and coach Kevin Curran.

"This is and will be a detailed assessment, on the basis of past, current and perceived future results and performance," said Bvute. He said the 24 remaining "Level One" (lower rated) players had been offered basic salaries and expenses.

This new policy lies at the root of the current dispute with the players. Bvute said that Stuart Carlisle, Barney Rogers and Neil Ferreira had demanded a minimum contractual income and had not been offered any contract at all. "If I wanted a 737 Boeing aircraft parked at Harare airport, that would be unreasonable, not a negotiating position," he said, replying to a question about their position perhaps being one for negotiation. "What I'm saying is that as far as those three are concerned there is no room for any negotiating position now."

But Bvute insisted: "We are not in a crisis." Talks between Zimbabwe Cricket and players' representative Clive Field are expected to resume later this week. Field warned that the dispute, which blew up last Thursday, "could become a major issue detrimental to Zimbabwe and indeed to international cricket".

"Some players have said it could become as destructive an issue as last year's strike," said Field, "which had been triggered by senior player accusations of national team selections based on race, and I think they could be right. This is a cause for real concern. The players have decided they will still be making themselves available for selection to matches remaining on the India tour (two Tests and a warm-up game) on the basis of them keeping the high moral ground. We have reached a situation where trust is paramount. We are told the contracts will now be re-presented on September 14 rather than the original date of September 30."