The Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) executive has been exposed by one of its trusted recruits for maladministration. Revelations by former test captain Tatenda Taibu in an extra ordinary press conference yesterday are likely to send tremors in ZC boardrooms.
Just at a crucial press conference that marks the return from a self imposed test censure amid a celebratory atmosphere Taibu spilled the beans when he lashed out at the Ozias Bvute led administration for not implementing good governance and structural professionalism.
The former skipper said nothing has changed from years of turmoil that rocked the country’s cricket administration six years ago adding that players were playing without contracts since last year August.
The former skipper, who took over captaincy from Heath Streak amid protest from a band of 15 senior players in 2003 that torched fires of discord and eventually rendered the country international isolation, also said young players in the current squad, may not speak for fear of victimisation.
ZC, which was dragged into chaos six years ago following a string of negative developments that range from player rebellion to a politicised sport, seemed to have turned a corner when they got the green light to return to play test coupled with the return of former players who had gone on exodus during trying times.
ZC executive has in the past six years been thrown under serous scrutiny over its pedigree to administer and has sometimes been attacked for failing to run the organisation professionally.
"But, lately, there has been general optimism from cricket faithfuls in the country on the future of the game basing on positive developments in recent years but Taibu poured water.
"I don't think much has changed really, the administration is still struggling to run cricket in the country well," Taibu said candidly. "For example, the guys haven't been paid their match fees from August last year up to now. At the moment, I am sitting here without a contract, no one has got a contract; those are all things that the administration is struggling to deal with."
"The franchise system has all along been thought to be able to contract and pay players, the issue of central contracts has never been clarified or resolved. All players who play for Zimbabwe must be contracted to a franchise, which means they earn some form of income, but Taibu indicated that may just be a form of bandaging a wound that really needs surgery. "When you walk around and you see a house that's painted well, you will think that house is really standing strong but if does not have a strong foundation, it will fall down one day or another," he said. "Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has just painted a house that's about to fall.
"Taibu who earlier on this year turned down an offer to captain the misfiring team said the players had tried to seek certainty from ZC but he had kept his distance from the subject because of his reputation as a pot-stirrer. "It's hard for me as a player with the history that I've got in Zimbabwe cricket to go up and mention these things," he said. "We've tried to go through the right structures, the captain and the manager but nothing has been done to date."
Taibu decided to break his silence to the media yesterday and said he was not afraid of the repercussions. Instead, he felt it was his responsibility, as one of the senior men in the side, to be the mouthpiece for some of the juniors. "I like telling the truth, I know most of the other guys are scared of being targeted and they won't be able to come out and say it in the open but I am not scared of being targeted. I think it's important that I can stand up for the younger guys who don't have a voice."
Taibu explained that it was the patriotism and passion in the ranks, and that he is proud to be involved with men of such character. "I can't falter the coaching staff, they've worked really hard and I can't falter the guys. They come in day in and day out but they are not getting much support from the administration unfortunately," he said. "To see the guys running in and bowling and hitting a lot of balls in the nets it really shows that the guys have got the country at heart. It is two days before a Test match and no one has got a contract, no one knows what we will get paid, but the guys love their country and they can't see cricket drop like that.
Zimbabwe cricket may be in turmoil but there is also pride and the return to the game's premier format is something the players are cherishing. "It will be sad to see Zimbabwe cricket die, after all the people that have worked hard for us to get Test cricket back, I think it will be a waste if we let it die."
Taibu believes the game is still very much alive and the upcoming Test matches, against Bangladesh, Pakistan and New Zealand, will only help cricket thrive in spite of its structures. "When you play Test cricket, you improve faster," he said. "As a batsman you spend more time at the crease, as a bowler you learn how to get people out, how to be disciplined and when to attack and when not to.
Captain Brendon Taylor who could neither confirm nor deny the alleged maladministration said his team was not affected by the anything as their biggest target was that of returning to test cricket. “We will not be affected by any of this, I am pretty sure the guys are professional enough to put such issues aside for now”
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