Ebrahim denies Chingoka's allegations

Macsood Ebrahim, the former Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) director and national convener of selectors, has responded to allegations by ZC interim board chairman Peter Chingoka that he externalized thousands of funds in foreign currency he acquired from ZC.

"I can't go into total details because my lawyers are now looking into the issue," he said. "What I can say is the allegations are false and untrue. This is the work of a man who is desperate and under intense pressure. If you read the whole letter, he has not answered most of the questions asked by the stakeholders. It is an iniquitous attempt to divert attention from him.

"I am very comfortable. I have done nothing wrong. If he has evidence, please let's see it. I'm guilty of nothing."

Ebrahim said he was shocked that Chingoka had turned on him in the letter when his name had not been mentioned in the letter by the disgruntled Zimbabwe cricket stakeholders sent to ICC.

"I've not been involved in national cricket since the interim committee was appointed. I've put my energy in my club and I play on Saturdays. Some of us came through the club cricket structure into national cricket. When we leave the national stage, we go back to our clubs. Tell me where have Chingoka's men on that interim committee came from?"

Ebrahim, although no longer involved at the national level, said he felt depressed by the state of the game in the country: "Unless every single player that is available for Zimbabwe comes to play the future is bleak," he said. "The results against Kenya spoke for themselves. Kenya went on to lose 4-0 to Bangladesh and we say the results were fine. Fine in who's eyes? Obviously in blinkered eyes."

Meanwhile, Ethan Dube, the chairman of the Matabeleland Cricket Association (MCA), who also came under attack from Chingoka in his letter, has also defended his position as MCA leader. "My appointment was handed to Justice Ahmed Ebrahim during Chingoka's time," he said. "Besides, the chairmanship of Matabeleland is not up to ZC. It's up to the Matabeleland clubs. If he wants that decision to be reconfirmed, we will be happy to do that again."

Dube also criticised Chingoka's claims that his name was being used to support protest for racial-balance reasons. "For a man of Chingoka's stature to use racial smokescreen is pathetic," he said. "I'm not the only black man who has questioned how things are being done. For him to say that I'm giving colour to it its sad and incorrect. We are all stakeholders in our own right. But I'm not going to dignify those claims by taking them seriously."

He also dismissed claims that his province had suppressed the formation of new smaller provinces: "He talks about us refusing to affiliate new provinces. The inclusion of these provinces will benefit everyone. But it must be structured in a transparent and planned manner."