Sponsors desert Zimbabwe cricket

Heath Streak: willing to play for nothing © Getty Images

A bad week for Zimbabwe Cricket got even worse with news that Bata, Nissan and Old Mutual, its major sponsors, will all end their existing deals by February next year. That will leave the cash-strapped board chasing new deals at a time when many potential partners have been frightened off by recent poor publicity.

Bata, who supplied the Zimbabwe team with kit, have already disassociated themselves with Zimbabwe Cricket citing financial problems. The new kit used by the Zimbabwe team does not have the Bata logo on it and was designed by Faithwear clothing, who already sponsor a one-day inter-provincial competition, and might be the new kit sponsors.

Nissan have been sponsoring Zimbabwe Cricket since 2001 and they service and insure cars for the players and officials. To date they have supplied ZC with about 70 cars, which ZC has an option of buying. Nissan have been the sponsor for all of Zimbabwe's one-day international series.

Old Mutual, an insurance company, entered the fray in 2002 and have been the major sponsors for all Zimbabwe's home Test matches since that time.

Cricket in Zimbabwe was courted by many sponsors only four years ago, as they fell over each other to be involved with a sport which has grown second in popularity to soccer in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Peter Chingoka is quoted in a local daily newspaper confirming that they have severed ties with Bata and Nissan, while Old Mutual will pull out next February. Chingoka is further quoted saying that they are already talking to new potential sponsors.

Speculation was rife that sponsors would pull out back in April when Heath Streak's dismissal triggered the player walkout. That has grown more likely as Zimbabwe cricket has continued to make the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Streak said he was not surprised that sponsors are starting to pull out of Zimbabwe Cricket, adding that he was still willing to play for his country without getting anything. "I have always said that guys like Ozias Bvute are in there for the money and now that sponsors are now pulling out, Bvute and other guys will leave," he said. "I am prepared to play for my country without any pay ... when I started playing international cricket I was not paid anything."