Rebels remain in the cold

Hopes that Zimbabwe's remaining striking players might soon return to the fold appear to be stalling, according to a report in the local Independent newspaper.

The stumbling block appears to be the rebels' demands over the selection process, although other sticking points are said to include their demands for three-year contracts. Few countries give such long-term commitments and it is hard to see Zimbabwe Cricket doing so if that is what it is being asked to do.

At the moment the rebel players are in ongoing talks with a committee under the leadership of Addington Chinake. Only when this committee presents its findings will the full board discuss the matter.

But one of the rebels told The Independent that some of the reported conditions had never been raised. "It's mischievous for anyone to claim that we have demanded tax-free salaries and three-year contracts," he said. "So far our discussions with the committee have been promising, though I'm bound not to say much."

What appears to be factual is the stalemate over the choice of selectors. The rebels have demanded all along that the national selection panel should be made up of people with first-class cricket experience, or at least a good level coaching qualification. Crucially, that would rule out Max Ebrahim, currently the senior selector, as he has no such background.

"All we want are selectors with a cricketing background like in any other country," the player told the newspaper. "We're hopeful everything will work out well because we hear [Peter] Chingoka has been really good and has already tasked a constitutional committee to review the whole selection policy. If Zimbabwe Cricket does not accede to our proposals, that's it. No rebel will return."