*Cricket Articles Archive-No Comments* - Page 47

Players cajoled into signing restrictive contracts

Alarmed Zimbabwe look to prevent player exodus

Steven Price in Harare

April 6, 2007

There is growing confusion over the exact terms of the contracts signed by Zimbabwe's World Cup squad shortly before they headed off to the Caribbean, and also concern over the pressure put on the players by the board.

What is certain is that the players were summoned to meet Ozias Bvute, Zimbabwe Cricket's managing director, a week or so before they were due to set off and given an ultimatum - sign the contract on offer or be removed from the squad. It is understood that they were not allowed to take advice and were told they had to make the decision there and then.

Cricinfo has learned that one player told his team-mates that there were certain things contained in the contracts that needed clarification. He was summoned back into Bvute's office and warned that it was a take-it-or-leave -it offer. Another said that when he told Bvute he wanted to consult with friends, Bvute picked up the phone and called Kenyon Ziehl, the head of selection, and told him he wanted the player replaced in the squad. Unsurprisingly, the player backed down and signed.


The players are being paid about US$2000 per appearance and a series of bonuses base don wickets taken and fifties scored. So, someone like Chamu Chibhabha, who played in all three games but failed to make a fifty, would earn US$6000. Anthony Ireland, who retired from international cricket as soon as the side returned home, would earn US$2000 for his single appearance and about US$500 for the one wicket he took. The maximum payment is believed to be around US$8000.


And there was another catch. The board did not want players taking the money and then heading to England to take up lucrative club contracts. More importantly, there was, and remains, a deep concern that with the World Cup over and the country in virtual political and economic meltdown, more players would quit Zimbabwe altogether and join the ranks of those making a living overseas.


With this in mind, the contract they were "persuaded" to sign tied them to Zimbabwe for at least six months, compelling them to play in all domestic competitions as well as international matches. Furthermore, the board were sensible enough to realise that there was no leverage in paying players in the virtually worthless local currency, and so they were promised US dollars.


The last handcuff came with the news that the players would not be paid immediately for the World Cup - they would have to wait until June. The thought process was obvious. If they wanted paying, they would need to remain in Zimbabwe until such a time it would be too late for them to take up offers to play abroad.


There was also the small matter of the board's finances being in such a state that the money might not have been there anyway. ZC had to borrow around US$1 million earlier this year, pending receipt of monies from the World Cup, to help them over an ongoing cash crisis.


The contractual handcuffs looked less than secure when Ireland quit earlier this week, lured to Gloucestershire on a two-year contract with far less baggage attached to it. The board will be nervously waiting to see if more follow.


As a final twist, it seems that the board has forbidden the players from meeting together as it is feared that much meetings could serve to fuel discontent. Increasing desperate times clearly call for increasingly desperate measures.

Medical reports not ready

Another delay in Vermeulen trial

James Jones

April 5, 2007

The trial of former Zimbabwe Test cricketer Mark Vermeulen, which was due to begin at the Provincial Magistrates in Harare on Tuesday morrning, has again been postponed, this time until May 7, due to inadequate medical reports being available.


One of the two medicals from government-appointed experts to examine Vermeulen's mental status had not been concluded when trial was scheduled to start. It is now expected early next month.

Vermeulen is being tried for arson after he allegedly set fire to the Zimbabwe Cricket Academy building and part of the ZC boardroom last year, destroying property and training equipment worth several millions of Zimbabwean dollars.

State broadcaster blunders

Zimbabwe World Cup coverage fails for the sake of $50

Cricinfo staff

April 2, 2007

Zimbabwe's Independent newspaper has revealed that the state broadcaster ZBC failed to secure right to cover the World Cup as it was unable to pay for the services of a local satellite engineer who had asked for Zim$1 million (US$50).

ZBC, which is known to have no funds, had been bailed out by Zimbabwe Cricket who, so the report claims, had done a deal with the South African Broadcasting Corporation. All that ZBC had to do was to locate the signal, which it failed to do. As a result, only those with access to overseas satellite channels have been able to follow the action.


"We had put together a package for ZBC-TV to screen the World Cup matches, but we understand they had local technical difficulties accessing the signal from SABC," Zimbabwe Cricket spokesman Lovemore Banda told the Independent. No representative from ZBC was available for comment.

What is uncertain is whether Zimbabwe Cricket, who may have paid out up to US$1 million for the rights, will be able to reclaim the money.

Northerns announce women's squad

James Jones

April 5, 2007

Northerns selectors have completed their trials at the Westridge High School in Harare and announced a final squad of 15 players for the five-day Interprovincial tournament at KweKwe which starts on April 24. The squad has a surprise inclusion in the form of the ex-Westerns allrounder Sinikiwe Mpofu who is now playing for Takashinga in Harare after relocating to the capital for journalism studies.

Mpofu will join up with her fellow Zimbabwean internationals, Julia Chibhabha, the allrounder Joanna Chanjack, who currently plays for Harare Sports Club, and Crystabel Chatora of Royal Harare.

Chiedza Mafunga, the national women's cricket manager, said on Thursday: "All is set for the one-day cricket showcase in KweKwe with all sides having sent in their team-lists. We are expecting some exciting action as national slots are at stake for the 30-member Zimbabwean provisional squad which is to be announced after the tournament. These 30 players will then go into the initial camp to prepare for the final round of qualifiers for the International Cricket Council Women's World Cup in Pakistan later in the year."

Squad Tsitsi Ali-John, Julia Chibhabha, Joanna Chanjack, Crystabel Chatora, Ruvarashe Chinyemba, Emily Jinjika, Chipo Kamuchedza, Susan Kudzibatira, Precious Marange, Sinikiwe Mpofu and Nonhlahla Nyathi.

Reserves Nyarai Manyande, Letwin Nyangoni, Evelyn Chisingarambwe and Virginia Nyazero

NPCA Twenty20

Kanbis A secure Twenty20 title

Cricinfo staff

April 4, 2007

Kanbis A beat Nairobi Gymkhana by 61 runs to secure the Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association Division One Twenty20 title at the Nairobi Gymkhana.

Kanbis, who were put in to bat, were given a flying start by Arvind Halai, and his 64 was the platform for his side's 162 for 9. Gymkhana were always off the pace and could only muster 101 for 7.

Earlier in the day Nairobi Nookers, who were only formed in 2004, beat Nairobi Jafferys by six wickets to take the Second Division title. Batting first, Jaffreys scored 161 for 8, built on Charles Obuya's 82, but Nookers overhauled the target with two overs to spare.

Board wants coach to remain

Kenya set to extend Harper's contract

Cricinfo staff

March 28, 2007

Cricket Kenya is expected to offer Roger Harper, the national coach, an extension to his contract which expires at the end of June.

Harper took over in January 2006, inheriting a side short on confidence and match practice. But he quickly instilled much-needed discipline and confidence, and although the Kenyans failed to make it past the first round of the World Cup, other results have been encouraging. Last month, the side won the World Cricket League, securing themselves a place in the Twenty20 Championships in South Africa in September.


Samir Inamdar, the board chairman, said extension for Harper, who is on vacation in his native Guyana, would be discussed. "The coach has done very well and we are very grateful to him for having created a unified team," he told AFP. "The team would have done better in the West Indies if it were not for some minor mistakes including giving away easy wickets. But we were not humiliated. We will ask Harper about his views before we make the final decision."

As well as the coach, the national team players are expected to be put under formal contracts for the first time in four years.

'No team has really got close to us'

McGrath confident of beating England

Cricinfo staff

April 4, 2007



Glenn McGrath is keen to remind England of his powers in what could be his last game against them Getty Images



Glenn McGrath believes Australia should defeat England comfortably when the teams meet in their Super Eights match in Antigua on Sunday. However, Australia will need to keep their momentum up after an eight-day break between games, which McGrath said was "too long".

McGrath has faced England in 32 ODIs and 30 Tests but Sunday's game will be his last encounter against his old rivals unless the two sides meet in the semi-finals or final. Following on from his correct tip that Australia would win the Ashes 5-0, McGrath said Australia deserved to be favourites in Antigua.

"The way England have been playing and the way we have been playing, we should win this game pretty well," McGrath told AFP. Australia are unbeaten from five games in the West Indies, while England have lost to New Zealand and enjoyed less-than-convincing victories over Canada, Kenya and Ireland.

McGrath said England's surprise win in the CB Series in February meant little as lifting the World Cup was the ultimate goal. "They played well to finish off the summer in Australia, we probably let our guard down a bit," McGrath said. "Since we've been over here we've prepared exactly the way we wanted to prepare and we've played some awesome cricket. To be honest, no team has really got close to us.

"I have always enjoyed playing England. Potentially, it could be the last time I come up against these guys before I hang the boots up so it would be nice to finish on a good note."

McGrath is Australia's leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 12 and has also broken Wasim Akram's record for the most victims in World Cups. However, he might require extra focus to keep up that form as Australia's last match was on Saturday, meaning by the time they face England they will have had more than a week off.

"It's good you can get around the islands and have a bit of a break," McGrath said. "But when you are in a tournament like this and playing well, you want to keep the momentum up. Eight days off in between games, that's probably a bit too long."

After the England clash, Australia will have four days' rest before taking on Ireland in Barbados. They then travel to Grenada and wrap up their Super Eights campaign against Sri Lanka and New Zealand.

Coach's wife did not want him to take Pakistan job

'No hint of match-fixing' in Woolmer's emails

Cricinfo staff

April 6, 2007



Gill Woolmer believes the police investigating her husband's death are doing a good job Getty Images



Bob Woolmer's wife did not want him to take the job as Pakistan coach in 2004 but she said there was no indication he was "scared" in the lead-up to his murder. Gill Woolmer also said in an interview with The Times she thought the police investigating her husband's death were doing a "good job" and she wanted a "speedy conclusion" to the inquiry.

She told the paper Woolmer was not keeping a World Cup diary but was intending to write a book about his time as Pakistan coach, though it "is best if that book never appears now". "If it is going to cause upset, it is not worth publishing," Gill Woolmer said.

Woolmer had sent his wife emails from the West Indies but there was "not even a hint in them of his being scared, or of anything to do with match-fixing," she said. However, she was not keen for him to take the Pakistan role in the first place.

"I said to him, 'I cannot believe you are thinking of doing this'," she said. "He knew the Pakistan side fluctuated in form, but he liked a challenge, and no one else tried to prevent him taking the job."

Gill Woolmer also praised Mark Shields, the chief investigator, for his efforts to find her husband's killer. "Obviously I have not met Mark Shields but he seems to be doing a good job," she said. "He is under stress and is tired and requires help because there are so many things to look into. We need to bring this to a speedy conclusion."

Bangladesh upsets South Africa By SIMON HAYDON

< =1.1 src="http://ads5.canoe.ca/js.ng/site=canoe.ca&VChannel=slam&SubChannel=othersports&=big&HChannel=sports">

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) - Bangladesh pulled off another shock victory at the 2007 Cricket World Cup on Saturday, beating world No. 1 team South Africa by 67 runs.

Put in to bat by South Africa captain Graeme Smith, Bangladesh posted its best ever World Cup score of 251 runs, with Mohammad Ashraful scoring 87.

South Africa's much-vaunted bowling attack failed to fire, although Andre Nel took 5-45 on his return to the lineup at the Guyana National Stadium.

In reply, Smith fell early for 12 and, although Jacques Kallis scored 32 in 36 balls, he was out at 63 for two wickets. From then on, wickets tumbled steadily until Mark Boucher and Justin Kemp fell in successive balls to leave the score on 87 for six.

South Africa had no answer to Bangladesh's medium-pace seam and spin attack and was bowled out for 184, with only an injured Herschelle Gibbs resisting at 56 not out. The loss means it has only four points from four Super 8s matches and could now get caught by host West Indies or England in the race to capture semifinal places.

"It was a very poor day for us, but credit to Bangladesh, they took their opportunities and finished the game well," Smith said.

"We had them under pressure at times, but we released that pressure. We finished the game badly with the ball. We never got our disciplines right and our basics throughout the day were very, very poor. If you don't get those basics right, you can't expect to win games."

"We have got to regroup pretty quickly and the next two games (against West Indies and New Zealand) are obviously crucial."

The victory for Bangladesh means it now has two points from four games and is level with England and West Indies.

"Any victory is important for Bangladesh," said captain Habibul Bashar. "But this is the No. 1 team and it's a good feeling and we're still in the Super 8s."

It was the second time in the championship Bangladesh upset one of the fancied teams. In group play, it beat India by five wickets in Trinidad March 17 sending star-studded India out in the first round.

During the World Cup, South Africa was named the official top one-day team by the International Cricket Council, the rankings based on results in the 12 months up to April 1.

Put in to bat on a lifeless wicket, Bangladesh paid South Africa's bowlers little respect and paceman Makhaya Ntini was smashed for 61, including 28 runs from his last two overs. Bangladesh scored 80 off the last 10.

Nel, who had not played since the team's first World Cup game against Netherlands, was the pick of the bowling, having replaced allrounder Andrew Hall. Shaun Pollock was economical, but unable to take any wickets.

Openers Javed Omar and Tamim Iqbal made a solid start, seeing off the combination of Pollock and Ntini in the first 10 overs.

Nel struck in the 14th over. Omar cut hard at a ball high and wide outside off stump and Smith took an athletic catch at backward point with the score on 42.

Team captain Habibul Bashar failed again after scoring just five. Nel took a catch from his own bowling. Bashar's dismal run of form at the World Cup - he has scored just 57 in five innings - left Bangladesh on 59-2.

In the 20th over, Iqbal flicked a ball from Nel just over wicketkeeper Mark Boucher's head for four. He then tried an enormous slog off the next ball, edging it to Boucher to give Nel his third wicket and leave Bangladesh on 69 for 3. Iqbal scored 38 in 59 balls.

Ashraful became stronger with each over against a bowling attack that looked off colour apart from Pollock and Nel. He played a series of delightful sweeps for his 12 fours, finally falling to one sweep too many in the last over when South Africa finally placed a fielder, Charl Langeveldt, at deep square leg for the shot.

By then Ashraful had totted up 87 off 83 balls in his 11th one day international half century.

Smith was the first to go in South Africa's innings with the score on 18, bowled trying to cut Syed Russel.

The in-form Kallis looked contemptuous of the Bangladesh bowling as he clubbed his way to 32 with five fours before miscuing a lofted on-drive to Iqbal at mid-on. Ashwell Prince was run out by Aftab Ahmed for one and Kemp (7) and Boucher (12) were unable to stick around for long.

Gibbs limped to the crease with Prince as a runner and batted bravely, but the Bangladeshi bowling attack gave little away.

Gibbs and Pollock added 45 for the seventh wicket before Pollock was superbly run out by Iqbal for 17. Nel scored only one before he gave a simple caught and bowled to Mohammad Rafique, who bowled a spell of one for 22 from his 10 overs.

Abdur Razzak was the pick of Bangladesh's bowling, taking 3 for 25.

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Cricket/2007/04/07/3944416-ap.html