Matabeleland clubs quit association

As exclusively reported by Cricinfo last week, Matabeleland's major club sides have confirmed that they have pulled out of the provincial association in a direct protest against the way that Zimbabwe Cricket is being run by Peter Chingoka, the chairman, and Ozias Bvute, the managing director.

Matabeleland is the major province in Zimbabwe and has been responsible for producing many of their major players, including Heath Streak, their former captain who quit international cricket last autumn.

"This is in response to the continual mismanagement of cricket administered in Zimbabwe by Chingoka and Bvute and the present interim SRC committee," read the statement signed by Collin Williams, a former Matabeleland player and father of Sean, the Under-19 captain.

It was also reported that the clubs were holding discussions with a number of clubs sides in Harare who last year split from their own association, Mashonaland. They withdrew their support for ZC some time ago.

The next step will be for the Matabeleland clubs to write to their players and inform them of the decision. Those individuals under contract to ZC will probably have to move to clubs affiliated to the board, but the standard of cricket in those is likely to be poor as ZImbabwe's player base is so eroded.