Hopes of government help in Zimbabwe recede

Hopes that government intervention would help to bring an end to the crisis threatening the future of cricket in Zimbabwe were fast receding after a rescue plan proposed by the Sports and Recreation Commission was left on the shelf.

The belief that the SRC, who last week published a report which savaged the operation of Zimbabwe Cricket, would step in was the main reason the players agreed to resume training a fortnight ago. Yesterday's announcement that they had decided to withdraw from two tours scheduled for early in 2006 and also cease training came after increasing rumours that the SRC probe would amount to nothing.

"We, as the players, feel decisions have to be made quickly, as we made it clear to the SRC when we met them," said Blessing Mahwire, the players' spokesman. "With all due respect to the minister [Aeneas Chigwedere] this issue requires urgency from everyone. The players want to see things resolved but they have no one to go to."

Last week it seemed that the SRC was going to be empowered to replace the existing ZC executive with an interim board; all that was needed was Chigwedere's approval. Some individuals were reportedly already approached and asked if they would sit on the new board. On Wednesday, Gibson Mashingaidze, the SRC chairman, said it was all down to the minister. "Our hands are tied. We are an arm of government, and we want the government to advise us. We cannot jump the gun. We know players are anxious. We know the stakeholders are anxious. We are worried. The minister has been made aware of the time consciousness of this issue. We are just awaiting his signature."

A source close to the players said: "It seems the minister has been sitting on this for about a week, despite our making clear as players to SRC that there was huge urgency in light of the upcoming tours. Frankly my experience with SRC has been most disappointing thus far. They don't return calls and refuse to let us know what is happening."

Meanwhile, the Extraordinary General Meeting called by ZC is still said to be going ahead today in Harare. It seems likely that the board members who have refused to attend meeting called by Peter Chingoka will again absent themselves, and so a quorum will not be present. It was at this meeting that Chingoka hoped to pass a controversial rule change allowing for five new provinces to be integrated into ZC, which would have helped him retain a majority as the chairmen of the new provinces were expected to be hand picked.