Race Storm Hits Zim Cricket

[Yorker]

I guess the ZC patron will have something to say now that he's back from his vacation.

[eugene]

Makoni is just a desperate man lashing out hoping someone will listen to his nonsense.

[bayhaus]

Source: http://www.herald.co.zw/index.php?optio ... PUMCehzo19

Why Coltart is wrong
DISCRIMINATION in local cricket is well-documented and the battle for redress has been very difficult.
This is mainly because die-hard proponents of discrimination happen to occupy influential positions, mainly in the corporate world where they use financial muscle to pursue their goals.
They have used their shadowy networks to push their agenda and an example is the group that would meet at Royal Harare Golf Club in 2004 when the infamous Rebel saga broke out.

There, they would come up with plans to cripple the game by stopping big companies from funding it while also using their links to have the perceived influential cricketing teams like Australia, England and New Zealand to push for Zimbabwe’s isolation.

While the mission eventually failed, it is clear they never gave up and we now see a new campaign to reverse all the gains that had been made by the majority Zimbabweans in the game of cricket.
Sadly, a whole minister who is supposed to be championing the development of sports in the country is championing this campaign.

In what has been a well-documented matter, Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart recently issued a directive to the Sports Commission to the effect that “selectors” for national teams must have played for Zimbabwe.

The initial impression by his use of the term “selectors” was that he was referring to any technical person responsible for calling up players for a national team.

Thus, in soccer, this would affect the national team coach and his assistants.
But no, he was restricting it only to those sports which have people appointed to the post of “selector”.
In the end we are down to just cricket and bowls (seriously!).

While making it clear that his directive removes Givemore Makoni from his post as convenor of selectors, Coltart denies also targeting Steve Mangongo, who is eyeing the post of national coach.
Mischievously, Coltart says “historically” the national coach has NOT been part of the selection panel.
However, anyone who follows cricket would know that coaches have ALWAYS been part of the selectors.

There have been times when voting rights have been withdrawn, but the point remains that national team coaches are part of the selection team.

What is interesting is that the directive by Coltart came soon after the Zimbabwe Cricket board approved a new-look selection panel where Makoni is the convenor.
Wayne James joins Makoni as an independent national selector while the national team coach, Alan Butcher, completes the panel.

The national captain joins the panel by invitation and does not have voting rights.
Communication to this effect was made on December 12 last year and there is every reason to suspect that this sparked Coltart’s reaction.

He is now reversing the appointments by coming up with a policy that targets individuals, Makoni and Mangongo.

Of course, he is doing all he can to deny it.
But I agree with Makoni and all those who believe that Coltart’s actions are tantamount to trying to restore discrimination in cricket.

Everyone knows that there are very few black Zimbabwean cricketers who played for the national team.

Just to show how desperate Coltart is, he lists Ethan Dube as one such deserving former player.
Coltart justifies his nomination of Dube on the basis that he played once in 1990!

Zimbabwe attained Test status in 1992 and by then Ethan Dube was nowhere near the national team.
Could Coltart provide the scorecard that shows that Zimbabwe were indeed involved in an international (either ODI or Test) in 1990 and Ethan Dube earned a cap?

Because there are no such events on official records — CricInfo is the official record keeper by the way.

You can only be considered to have played for Zimbabwe if you featured in an ODI, Test or T20 match and facts will find Coltart WRONG.

Zimbabwe did NOT play an international in 1990 and teams like the President’s XI, Zimbabwe A, the Board XI are not national teams and Coltart should know that.

And even if Ethan Dube had played one ODI in 1990, what will be so special about that one match to distinguish him from people like Makoni and Mangongo who have been with cricket for over 20 SUCCESSIVE years?

Makoni and Mangongo have groomed the bulk of the black players to have featured for Zimbabwe in recent years.

What has Ethan Dube done for cricket since 1990 that can be put up for reckoning other than being resident near Coltart and the Streaks?

Australia has so many illustrious cricketers who have played hundreds of Test matches but the head of the current national selection panel, named in October 2011, is one John Inverarity.

Inverarity, who was cap number 246, represented Australia in just SIX Test matches, the first in 1968 as an opening batsman, and the last in 1972.

There have been 185 players who earned Test caps for Australia after him and most of them have played over six Tests.

Yet Inverarity is in charge of selection right now.
Coltart even mentions Tatenda Taibu as a candidate for cricket selector.
Again, that is embarrassing, coming from a minister who claims to be passionate and follows everything about the game.

Those who have some interest in the game will know that Taibu publicly quit the game and declared that he will be nowhere near cricket.

He even said he would NOT let his son play the game.
And besides (given Coltart’s love for researching trends in other Test countries), where in the world do you have a selector who is younger than those playing and vying for a place in the national team?
Also, once you consider Taibu to be good enough to be a selector, how about those who made him the player he became?

After the uncapped Ethan Dube and Taibu, Coltart also mentioned David Mutendera who was a selector recently.

But already there is a problem.
The fact that Coltart is battling to come up with a list of blacks who played for the national team and can be selectors is a clear sign that the racial imbalance in Zimbabwe cricket has not yet been addressed fully.

But then the problem, as Makoni has highlighted, is that Coltart is pushing through something that was the basis of the Rebel Saga of 2004.

What is disturbing is that cricketers led by then captain, Heath Streak who is part of the national team set-up and is reported to be vying for the coach’s post, made the demands.

And for the benefit of those who might have forgotten I will reproduce what was TOP of the list of concerns by white cricketers, led by Streak, and commonly referred to as rebels in 2004:
“SELECTION PANEL: We have been concerned for some time about what we consider to be the unprofessional manner of selection.

There has been interference of a non-sporting nature. There has, in our view, been racial and ethnic discrimination in the selection of the national team.

. . . We should also stress that the minimum qualifications proposed by the players are not discriminatory and indeed it would, in our view, be easy for a selection panel to be established with a majority of qualified black Zimbabweans.

Names that come to mind would be Ethan Dube and Mpumelelo Mbangwa, both of whom are qualified, ex-national players . . .”

So, it is clear here that Coltart simply repackaged what Streak and company were demanding in a battle they lost.

What is also very clear is that there is a war that is still raging when we all thought there was progress and unity in cricket.

Makoni has been one of the fiery fighters for the cause of the marginalised black cricketers.
And in the past year, he has been involved in ugly clashes in national team matters that have, sadly bordered, on racism.

The most prominent issue is that of Vusi Sibanda. Sibanda was axed from the national team by the ZC cricket committee headed by Alistair Campbell.

Campbell and his camp punished Vusi Sibanda for choosing to improve his cricket in Australia ahead of a trip to New Zealand.

Vusi had actually played Logan Cup matches, which were ideal for a Test tour.
They wanted him to play the limited-overs matches in domestic cricket.

It was a punishment that was linked to the fact that Vusi missed a T20 tournament run by a company in which Campbell might have had interests.

But what made the whole episode ugly is that on the same New Zealand tour, Zimbabwe were captained by Brendan Taylor who missed the domestic matches here to play in the sub-continent.
There was an ugly exchange between Campbell and Makoni over the issue and there are records to prove that.

Coltart never went on Facebook or Twitter.
He only mentioned the absence of Vusi when the team that Campbell and company wanted had been humiliated in New Zealand.

And when Zimbabwe went to Sri Lanka for the World Cup Twenty20 there were clashes again and they pitted Makoni, Taylor and coach Allan Butcher.

And the clash was over player selection and sadly, it bordered on the issue of colour.
As convenor of selection, Makoni wanted Prosper Utseya to play ahead of Raymond Price but Taylor and Butcher were against it.

The parties clashed and it is on record that Taylor and Butcher phoned Campbell over the issue and later told Makoni that they had been told that the captain was a selector with voting rights. That meant that Makoni had been outvoted. However, Makoni eventually had his way and Utseya played ahead of Price.

Earlier on the same tour, Makoni had wanted Stuart Matsikenyeri to play ahead of Malcolm Waller on the basis of a good tour of New Zealand. However, batting coach Grant Flower argued that Stuart was not moving his feet during nets and was tentative playing shots. So Waller was selected.

At the same World Cup, Taylor had failed a fitness test but still played. The same fitness test result that saw Tino Mawoyo being kicked out of the national team.

Rewind to Tatenda Taibu’s Test debut following a hand injury to Andy Flower. Those of us who were in the picture know how Donald Campbell was pushed into the team and even had a kit printed for him yet he had been named as 12th man. A group of white players didn’t want Taibu to earn his first Test cap and they tried all they could to force Donald into the team ahead of the teenager.

Rewind to Stuart Matsikenyeri’s debut against the West Indies in 2003. He made 57 in the first innings and at 46 not out in the second innings, he was on the verge of becoming the FIRST Zimbabwean batsmen to score two fifties on debut. What happened? Captain Heath Streak made a declaration and the young boy was denied a deserved record, which would not have wasted one more over if it was about time.

Fast forward to August 14, 2011. Brian Vitori was playing his second ODI and on the verge of making history. Having taken five wickets on debut, he was poised to make history by making it 10 in two matches. Having claimed his fourth as Bangladesh slumped to 176/8, Vitori was now looking at completing the rout. What did the captain do? Taylor gave the ball to Raymond Price. It needed the intervention of Utseya and Chigumbura for the ball to be returned to Vitori and he duly claimed the fifth wicket and a place in history.

But what is very clear is that there has been a sustained campaign to deprive black players opportunities to either play or claim a place in history books.

That’s why it will take another five to 10 years to have a large pool of retired black cricketers to be considered for national team selection.
And Coltart is trying to keep the fire burning.

And the saga continues. Coltart just gave fodder to the Herald!

[hhm]

I knew it! There was no way Waller with a pathetic record at the time, would have played the first T20 world cup match ahead of Matsi(who is a more accomplished batsman with better recent T20 form), unless there was some meddling involved!

Now Taylor must definitely be fired! I wasn't aware that he wanted to deprive Vitori that milestone. He should be glad the boys didn't kick him out of the ground and embarrass him before the public. Good thing he yielded. Kudos to Prosper & Elton.

What's clear is that the guys don't like Taylor, and they are not playing for him. Running to Campbell with Butcher, so he can overrule your boss. Glad Butcher the sheepish co-conspirator is going! It's now imperative that an appropriate leader is installed. In Mawoyo, Vusi & Hami, options are plenty!

The fact that these are incidents on record(e.g. fitness tests, selection), adds weight to what I've already said that this is war Coltart, AC, Grant, Heath, Taylor & Butcher cannot win. Taylor never had voting rights, and records will prove that AC, Butcher & Taylor conspired to outmanoeuvre Makoni, but he was too smart for that. Just like Kunta Kinte, lose your leg in the process is you must Givemore.

Those of us who were in the picture know how Donald Campbell was pushed into the team and even had a kit printed for him yet he had been named as 12th man. A group of white players didn’t want Taibu to earn his first Test cap and they tried all they could to force Donald into the team ahead of the teenager.

There's so much Taibu has to tell. I'm desperate to hear from him. Name and shame these culprits Tatenda. A book will take too long!

Nothing different in Matsi's case. The young man and his family and friends looking on must've been shattered. He's probably still hurting from that, and i wonder how he looks at Streak intraining. No way a Kane Willimason, Mukund, Maxwell, Joe Root would have been denied a second half-century if they were batting with RT, MSD, Ponting & Strauss respectively. I can understand the vile nature of some of these characters. After all, Ntini was forced to retire on 390 wickets because Polly & his fellow racists didn't want Ntini carried over the 400 line, just like Polly was! Ironically, records prove that Ntini came back to dominate FC & List cricket afterwards!

The Proteas have just thumped NZ with little batting and keeping necessary from AB. It's obvious they wanted say an Elgar to get a run against a weak attack. However, they didn't want to take the risk of Thami Tsolekile picking up a couple of half-centuries or even a hundred over four innings, and have to live with him going forward! Meanwhile NZ gave their Afrikaaner son Kruger van Wyk a debut against the Proteas at 32 years of age, just like Thami.

Selectors:Givemore Makoni(Convenor), David Mutendera, Wayne James(snitch)
Head Coach:Steve Mangongo
Captain:Vusi Sibanda(for the Ndebeles at least). Vice-Captain: Hamilton Masakadza

I hope people begin to respect Zimbabwean reporters and give them credit when it's due. This certainly proves it:

Just to show how desperate Coltart is, he lists Ethan Dube as one such deserving former player. Coltart justifies his nomination of Dube on the basis that he played once in 1990!...And even if Ethan Dube had played one ODI in 1990, what will be so special about that one match to distinguish him from people like Makoni and Mangongo who have been with cricket for over 20 SUCCESSIVE years?...Makoni and Mangongo have groomed the bulk of the black players to have featured for Zimbabwe in recent years. What has Ethan Dube done for cricket since 1990 that can be put up for reckoning other than being resident near Coltart and the Streaks?

I only wonder what many other reporters in the picture will have to say about things to reveal what the likes of Andy, AC, Heath, Guy and Grant were up to as well. It's important for these misguided and ignorant, young plastic cricket fans, to be enlightened about who these so called heroes really are, so they can desist making these uneducated comments while genuine evidence is awash in the very articles they read.

Martin Williams of Cricinfo is probably wondering how he must go about this. Can't afford to have his angels seen in a bad light now, or discrediting himself, particularly after doing such a wonderful job during the rebels saga years ago. He's always been enthusiastic about reporting as negatively as possible about the likes of Peter & Ozias, or positively about the good from the likes of Coltart & AC. Any chance that enthusiasm can rub off in the opposite direction?

[FlowerPower]

This is the end of cricket as we know it. The timing couldn't have been worse. For the sake of those involved I hope it is worth it and not a self preservation move.

Its amazing we all know we need each other even if we don't like each other.

Whites with their money and organisational skills (not that blacks aren't organised but generally and culturally whites are more organised, and even their disputes are handled with poise, but those exist with them too (disputes) and for me that's the difference, black people have the intellect and athleticism and all else but generally aren't as organised, be it organising themselves, resolving disputes e.g. WI endowed with such talent but struggling, look at the world over Japan had an earth quake and came through it, Haiti almost collapsed and the looting...I digress). If they are outsted also big brother NZ Aus and Eng will act (not justifying it but that's what will happen).

Black people offer not only the raw talent but also the numbers to grow the sport, but most importantly they are politically necessary if we are to be morally correct. To the fair and just minded like myself they can't be marginalised in their own backyard. India (read Asia) will continue to use them for political mileage.

Problem is these two camps can't accept the fact that for survival they need each other. Whites adopting an entitlement stance and a superiority complex. Blacks responding with militancy. Outcome is the whites as in 2004 will fly off to the Counties and NZ and all other white friendly places and lost to international cricket, but consolation is they will earn better and more consitantly and predictably, not as successful or glorious but better livings.

The blacks will have access to the vacated spots, and inevitably there will be a loss in strength, not because the white man is the only one who can play cricket, but Taylor with all his flaws is the best cricketer in the last 5 years, Price for all his tailing off takes with him tons of experience (yes Prosper will step in but we all know Pro is not a Ray Price), Creamer could be replaced but Williams when focused will not be replaced, Foster even the on form Foster, is not Williams, Waller and Ervine maybe replaced, but by whom? Matsi, after over a 100 ODI matches an ave of 22 doesn't inspire much confidence, nor does an ave of 29 after over a 100 FC appearances inspire any better. Weather we like it or not Zim will be weakened not because white people are the only ones who can play cricket, but the genuine talent that will be lost. Unlike India and Pakistan, ours is a small pool.

Also the black team will find it tough as finances are held largely by whites. Blacks save for your Strive Masiyiwa via Econet, either don't have the money or do not have a generosity culture for things they have at heart. A white man will spend on a rhino if he loves it, its in their culture, a black man on the other hand has a Jimmy mentality, hi my name is Jimmy I'll take all you can give me...yes hugely sterio typical, but how many US$ black millionaires apart from Strive, have a philanthropic culture? Blame it on colonialism that meant they never had, and hence never learnt the practise because they never had, bottom line is whites will pull out their resources, and unless Strive fills the void, we will have more bickering. Once the whites are finally purged then tribalism will set in, with uneasy alliances formed at all levels with predictable ends. If I sound persimistic its just how I feel and dont see much else.

Blacks win and own cricket, whites lose and are banished cricket tlike the Milton cricket ground rapidly grow weeds. I pray I'm wrong (and I mean that but I have huge faith purging the whites will improve the outlook, certainly will give full ownership to black, but at a cost).

I was so looking forward to this activity filled year, but now, I guess my time is better spent focusing on my family and supporting Australia's rebuilding. No way after all this dirty linen airing will we have a united side, wonder who we have to thank the whites or the blacks (personally I think its INDIVIDUALS from both sides), and unfortunately ala Julius Malema they tend to be articulate and charismatic figures piping away towards a steep cliff to dumb all and sundry duped into listening to their tune.

Are things amiss? Of course they are. Is this the way to solve them? Certainly not, but even if I had ways to suggest to solving issues (which I don't), its too late to salvage anything. We can be proud of ourselves (but that's not fair some of us were optimistic a better solution could be found, rather they should be proud of themselves).

Sick feeling gets worse by the day...

[FlowerPower]

If Coltart was wrong about Ethan so be it but what of these guys:

1. Everton Matambanadzo
2. Mpumelelo Mbangwa
3. Henry Khaaba Olonga
4. Trevor Nyasha Madondo (unfortunately late)
5. Mluleki Nkala
6. David Mutendera
7. Brighton Tonderai Watambwa
8. Douglas Tafadzwa Hondo
9. Ngonidzashe Blessing Mahwire

All BLACK Test caps...plus the current lot to add to this growing list,

10. Waddington Mwayenga
11. Alester Maregwede

With ODI caps...

Would all be eligible for selector's role.

Of course age-wise these guys may be too young Mahwire, Mwayenga, Maregwede and Mahwire, but what stopped Giles retiring and straight into selector's board?

I still smell a rat, collateral damage for the sake of individual?, which really makes me question the motive. Coltart may not be a smelling of roses, but did we have to destroy cricket NOW, especially as most of all the amo was in my Makoni's war chest ALL this time?.... well can't blame a desperate man fighting for his livelihood.

[aydee]

This is the end of cricket as we know it.

No. Storm in a tea-cup over a very minor administrative decision that will be long forgotten once the actual cricket starts in the Winides...

*crosses fingers*

*prepares self to bury head in sand if it subsequently becomes necessary*

[lloydwinini]

With the team that theyv chosen... no Querl, no Chigs, no Shingi, no Raza wil def luz 2 th Windies. thiz guys always cum out unscathed and manage 2 get away with it. the casualties always remain the playas. i think the whole lot of them are being Childish and unfair and don't deserv th power they have. Makoni is wrong in pointing out that he only fyts for black playas, he shud be trying to fyt and select the most talented playas. if he is as rightious as he claims y dsnt he fyt 4 Raza. Coltart as it may sim has a hidden agenda. 1st thing he should have done was to create a selection commitee to ensure fair selection of talent for each sport b4 doing wat he did. this law also means that no foreign coach can work for any national team and that is a huge disadvntge 4 all. they have both crossed the line this tym... taylor, mangongo, vusi and streak r now bein used as pawns in this fyt. the question every1 shud be asking is "IS IT WORTH IT?"

[Ming]

Only in Zim do we prefer to shoot ourselves in the head rather than in the foot. Only in Zim do knights in shining armour arrive in time to bury the damsel in distress rather than save her.

... Bangs head in dispair...

[muyendesi]

This is a very sad senario happening in zimbabwe cricket. I guess the drama continues and we shoot ourselves in the foot again . The things that have been written in the herald should not have been published at all cost. Is the herald saying that BT is a racist ?? The boy was the only white player who stuck with zim cricket during some tough times. He deserves better that this nonsense. What kind of dressing room are we going to have after this ? white on the other side and black on the other side. I am a proud black zimbabwean and I will never advocate for indigenisation in sport come hell or thunder. Sport is all about God given talent and no other way. A zimbabwen all white or black team is okay with me, as long as it is the best in the land. What we need is some balance and checks to ensure that the team that is selected is fair and true reflection of the talent available. I can't sit and critise makoni for saying the things he is saying. He knows the dynamics and institutional issues involved in zimbabwe cricket. However I believe if he has zim cricket at heart, he should have responded to this issues in more dignified manner, that would not destroy the porgress we have made this far. I also wonder why the chairman and chief excutive of zim cricket are silent on this issues. Proper leadership would have ensured that this isses are addressed privately without arousing public emotions . We all know what happens in zimbabwe when the issue of race is raised. IF THIS ISSUE IS NOT MANAGED PROPERLY , ZIM CRICKET WILL BE DEAD AND BRURIED ONCE AND FOREVER. BLACK AND WHITE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THE SAKE OF PROGRESS.