Streak and Mankunzini Battle

[zimfan1]

Ngqwele Dube Sports Correspondent
FORMER Zimbabwe cricket national team captain Heath Streak allegedly betrayed the goodwill of two young cricketers through “stealing” their ideas to form a sport academy.

Documents and emails in possession of this paper show that the trio of Streak, Dumisani Mankunzini and Titus Chipare mooted the idea of forming an academy before the former national team bowling coach went behind the other two’s backs to form what is now known as the Heath Streak Cricket Academy.

Mankunzini, who has since launched his own academy, Dumisani Mankunzini Cricket Initiative, said he and Chipare approached Streak with the idea to form the cricket coaching school and agreed on all details only for Streak to opt out two days before the launch of the initiative claiming he was retiring from everything to do with cricket.

“I came up with the idea to create an academy that would reach out to young cricketers and then approached Chipare so that we work together. As we formulated the plans we realised it would be best to have Streak on board because of his experience and he agreed,’’ said Mankunzini.

“However, he later said he doesn’t want anything to do with cricket after being relieved of his duties as the national team bowling coach,” he said.

Mankunzini said they were shocked when they heard later that Streak was launching his own academy. He said he came up with all the ideas related to forming of the academy and felt Streak had been dishonest in deciding to start his own using their ideas.

“It was practically my idea that Streak used, the academy that we were going to create with him was named Heath Streak Cricket Academy, the same name that he is using for his academy. We decided to use his name after he (Streak) advised me against naming the organisation after myself saying it was best to use a recognisable name of a cricketer who had played the sport at international level unlike me who had only played up to club level,” said Mankunzini.

A constitution in possession of this paper shows that the document was adopted at a meeting held at Queens Sports Club on 6 March, 2013 with Mankunzini, Streak, Asanga Fernando and Gavin Ewing being the signatories.

The charter states the name of the organisation as Heath Streak Cricket Academy with Mankunzini outlined as the chief executive officer of the academy for the first 10 years of the initiative’s existence. It also names Streak, Chipare and Mankunzini as the founding members.

Sunday News is also in possession of a proforma invoice from law firm Calderwood, Bryce Hendrie and Partners billing the academy for work done on the constitution, amounting to $687,13 which Mankunzini said he footed with all other expenses related to the formation of the academy.

He said he subsequently launched the academy named after him when Streak had opted out. In e-mail correspondence between Streak and Mankunzini dated 11 March, 2013, the former acknowledged receipt of constitution through email and goes on to say: “We need to start working on dates in April for the launch. I am keen to tie down a date for the lodges, once account opened we need to settle and confirm this date. I can then work on the Zim players to attend the launch”.

Then Minister of Education, Sports, Arts and Culture, Senator David Coltart was invited to be the guest speaker at the launch and Sunday News is also in possession of an email in which he accepts the invitation. Streak admitted to having been approached with the idea of forming an academy by Mankunzini and Chipare but accused the duo of being disorganised.

He said they struggled to get sponsors and believes the only reason why they approached him was to use his name.
“Yes they approached me and I agreed but as time went on I realised they were disorganised as they were struggling to come up with a constitution to start with.

“They could not find any sponsors and Mankunzini only told me they will be approaching (Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development) Obert Mpofu for funding but nothing materialised. I did not think it was proper to launch when we had no partners backing us,” said Streak.

Streak said at the time they approached him, he was employed by Zimbabwe Cricket and left the running around to Mankunzini who proved incapable.

“I made huge losses when Mankunzini booked at my lodges in late 2012 for a camp with children where they were expected to play against youngsters from Elton Chigumbura’s academy but they never pitched up despite the fact I had offered them huge discounts,” he said.

Streak added his reputation was at stake and after doing background checks on Mankunzini he realised he was a dodgy character after he was once suspended from Tuskers. He alleged the former Tuskers player was accused of fabricating stories about family problems in order to borrow funds but had difficulties in paying them back. The former national team captain said his busy schedule forced him to keep on postponing the proposed launch for the academy.

[zimfan1]

Heath threatens Mankunzini PDF Print E-mail
Sunday, 12 January 2014 04:47
0 Comments

Sports Reporter
FORMER national cricket team captain Heath Streak yesterday threatened to take legal action against Dumisani Mankunzini over claims the former hijacked his project and formed the Heath Streak Cricket Academy.

Streak is said to have made the threats after being called by a reporter from this paper inquiring on allegations made by the former Matabeleland Tuskers’ leg spinner. Mankunzini said Streak threatened to make his life difficult in local cricket if the story was published.

“I received a call from Streak and he told me he received two calls from different newspapers and I should withdraw the stories otherwise he will make my life difficult in the cricket world. He added he will sue me for defamation of character if the stories are published,” said a distraught Mankunzini.

Streak also sent an sms to Mankunzini, which read: “Expect to be sued by me for defamation and false information. It’s your name that will be tarnished! Good luck with whatever you are trying to achieve.”

[zimfan1]

Cant really see any legal reason why copying someones idea of a cricket academy would be illegal.......

The ECB might as well sue the BCCI for "copying" the English domestic T20 with the IPL .......

[CrimsonAvenger]

Very interesting. Ih ad shared this article about Mankunzini's retirement on Photo Quiz thread lately: http://www.chronicle.co.zw/cricketer-mankuzini-retires/ : Dated 23rd July 2013.

The article is from July 2013 and he talks of his DMCI but no mention of Streak Academy. So, these event took place in March when Dumisani had not even retired and he did not mention it in July too. Why does he come up with this story now out of the blue?

HSCI was announced before the Indian tour to Zim, and here's another news article from 15th July 2013: http://www.dailynews.co.zw/articles/201 ... initiative

A week later, Dumisani, who must have heard about it already, does not even talk about it when he mentions DMCI in his interview. Strange.

He is 23 and Chipare is 24. They are obviously trying to milk cricket to get a living and are trying to drag Streak into the muddle and get some publicity. They must have achieved more on the field before getting into this. And the last quoted SMS of Streak could by no means be classified as a threat. He has reacted to the situation indicating that he would take legal actions.

Having said that, it was stupid of Streak to get into this muddle in the first place. Since it appears that he got involved with the initiative to begin with, what was he actually thinking? Why did he even think it could fly in the first place? He does not particularly come across as a tactical genius apart from his bowling days and parts of his captaincy, but it was foolish to get into this and let them use his name like that.