Zimbabwe rebellion over before it began

The rebellion against Zimbabwe Cricket was snuffed out before it ever really began, with the Mashonaland Cricket Association backing down in the face of allegations of financial and constitutional irregularities.

Speaking to the Zimbabwe Independent, Cyprian Mandenge, the MCA chairman, said: "We've realised it's cricket that will suffer, so we are negotiating so that our concerns are addressed. All we want is a democratic constitution." Less than a week ago the MCA had seemed set on a collision course with ZC, and there was a possibility that other provincial associations might join the opposition. But stories began to emerge that that a payout from ZC intended to help seven Mashonaland clubs all went to Takashinga Sports Club, and at the end of the week the MCA's stance was further weakened when all but two of its club sides elected to honour their national league fixtures.

Behind the scenes, Tavengwa Mukuhlani, the former MCA chairman who was ousted in December, is thought to be consulting lawyers to try to get the decision overturned as being unconstitutional. Mukuhlani met with Peter Chingoka, ZC's chairman, last week and it is believed that Chingoka made it quite clear that he expected Mukuhlani to get a grip on the province and reassert control.

The Independent said that other provinces had backed off or condemned the rebellion, quoting Macsood Ebrahim, the Masvingo Cricket Association, as saying that he told the rebels to "go to hell and made it clear to them that we would not entertain individuals agitating for a coup." Given that Ebrahim is a close associate of Ozias Bvute, ZC's general manager and is a key figure inside ZC,that is hardly a surprising response.

Ahmed Essat, the chairman of the Matabeleland Cricket Association, said that his province had not supported the coup but, nevertheless, still had serious concerns about the way that ZC had undertaken an expensive rebranding exercise without any consultation.

"The Matabeleland province wants to understand who is responsible for the re-branding," said Essat. "But we can't say because of that the whole ZC board has to go. Like in any other business, all we want is for people to be accountable."

Hemant Patel , chairman of the Midlands Cricket Association, explained that his province had withdrawn support for Mashonaland after "constitutional flaws and irregularities in the special general meeting held in Mashonaland" emerged. Some sources claim that ZC brought pressure to bear on other provinces, but it seems that Mashonaland failed to get its own house in order before taking on ZC.