Mawoyo stripped of A-team captaincy

Tino Mawoyo has been stripped of the Zimbabwe A captaincy following misbehaviour by him and other players in camp in Bulawayo early last month.

A Bulawayo-based newspaper reported how players broke camp rules by bringing women into their hotel rooms during their matches against South African National Academy played at Queens Sports Club. The same publication also reported that Mawoyo was arrested outside a sports club for public drinking but was not taken to the police station after the police were paid off.

The publication of the story sent shockwaves through Zimbabwe Cricket leading to a disciplinary inquiry. National selector Vumi Moyo, who was the team manager at the time, was asked to submit a report and he did not deny the that that the players had brought women into their rooms.

Sources said if the police had charged Mawoyo, he would have been suspended.

Pace bowler Blessing Mahwire has replaced Mawoyo for the South African Airways Challenge pool B match against Gauteng at Bulawayo and ZC board member Cyprian Mandenge has taken over as team manager.

Mawoyo, who captained Zimbabwe at the Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh in 2004, remains a vital member of the Zimbabwe A squad at the top of the batting order. He was promoted to the senior team against India A and South Africa A but struggled and was demoted back to the A team.