ZC scraps franchise system
Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2015 8:17 am
. Zimbabwe Cricket dumps franchise system
by mehluli sibanda | Saturday, Oct 31, 2015 | 42 views
Lovemore Banda
IN what is a major revamp to the domestic cricket setup, Zimbabwe Cricket have done away with the franchise system because of the costs involved.
A source familiar with the latest development told Sunday News Sport that the recently elected ZC board led by Bulawayo-based pharmacist Tavengwa Mukuhlani had made the decision in September to do away with the doomed way of operating. It is understood that ZC are reverting back to the old system of operating with the first class domestic competition to be competed for by Bulawayo, Harare, Midlands and Manicaland as was the norm in the past.
The source said when ZC moved to the franchise system in 2009, the cricket mother body were pinning their hopes on sponsors coming on board to bankroll the operations of the structure with the view that these establishments were going to become financially independent as time went on. However, due to the economic situation prevailing in the country, ZC found it hard to sustain the franchise system.
“Zimbabwe Cricket have done away with the franchise system. This was passed at board level two months ago because it was spending too much money, they thought they were going to find sponsorship which never materialised. Bulawayo, Harare, Manicaland and Midlands will compete in first class cricket, others will play in their own lower form of cricket, there will be no twinning of provinces as well because it was realised that no development was taking place in the smaller provinces,’’ said the source.
ZC media and communications manager Lovemore Banda confirmed that the cricket mother body had done away with franchises. According to Banda, ZC have come up with an approach to augment their playing structure by having the traditional cricket playing provinces taking on each other.
“Zimbabwe Cricket has abolished the franchise system. This was done as part of an on-going exercise to strengthen our playing structures. If you go back into the history of Zimbabwe Cricket, you will find that our organisational strength has always been in the provinces. They are the foundation for our feeder system, bringing forth the throughput for all our representative sides up to senior national team.
“What we have done now is that we have come up with a strategy to enhance our playing structure with the traditional cricket provinces playing against each other strength for strength, and the rest striving to gain the status of First Class Provincial Associations,’’ said Banda.
In terms of reporting structure, Banda said the provincial administrators will have a dual structure that they are accountable to, the ZC general manager for game development and domestic cricket as well as the provincial association board.
Because the uniforms had already been done with the franchise logos the teams will play using the old names.
Due to this development, it is understood that in Harare because of proximity to the ZC headquarters and familiar with what is going on they have removed the Mashonaland Eagles signs from their Harare Sports Club offices.
ZC have been struggling for years to maintain the franchise way of operating since the fanfare of its launch died down. Last year, they disbanded the Southern Rocks franchise because the Masvingo based team struggled in first class cricket since the introduction of the set up during the 2009/10 season.
In addition to that, ZC who have not been spared the harsh economic climate in the country also abolished the post of franchise chief executive officers in May last year, replacing them with the position of administrators as a way of reducing costs.
The domestic cricket season starts on Wednesday and runs up to March year. There are 12 four-day matches, the same number of 50 overs fixtures and eight Twenty20 matches. The Twenty20 matches will be played over a week in a tournament format.
Midlands clash with Harare in a limited overs encounter at Kwekwe Sports Club on Wednesday, the same day that Manicaland welcome Bulawayo to Mutare Sports Club for a 50 over fixture.
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