This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
Taibu, Olonga call for the need of players’ association in Zimbabwe to resolve crisis
The ICC suspended Zimbabwe for failing to provide a process for free and democratic elections and failing to ensure that there is no government interference.
20 August 2019 • 6:42 PM
Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) is going through one of the deepest crisis after the ICC suspended the Full Member for failing to provide a process for free and democratic elections and failing to ensure that there is no government interference.
Former Zimbabwe captain Tatenda Taibu and the country’s first black cricketer Henry Olonga have called for the need to start a players’ association.
“I also think that part of the problem is that: either not enough players are educated enough to understand certain things or don’t have exposure to know how things are done within an organisation,” Taibu told ESPNCricinfo on Tuesday.
“Definitely, a strong players union is needed and will sort out these problems.”
READ: Zimbabwe cricketers ready to ‘play for free’ after ICC suspension
Olonga, among the many Zimbabwe cricketers, who fled the country for a better life, too agrees with Taibu. “If we survive this, we still have a mountain to climb in changing the culture,” he said.
“To retain players and value players and put that all together to turn us into a winning combination. It’s hard enough to win matches at the best of times. To make yourself a competitive team, you need all your ducks lined up in a row. I don’t know how they’re going to deal with it. They need a vibrant players body.”
Olonga, who announced his retirement in March 2003, has a good reason to leave the country. “Zimbabwe is a complex country. It’s drawn along tribal lines. Shona vs Ndebele. Whites vs blacks. Rich vs poor. There’s so many lines. All of this began way back. It’s not a recent thing,” he said.
ALSO READ: Sikandar Raza ‘speechless’ after ICC replaces Zimbabwe in World T20 qualifiers
Earlier this month, agreeing to a court order directed by the ICC, Zimbabwe’s SRC (Sports and Recreation Commission) has decided to re-instate the board which was suspended and replaced by an interim body last month. In August, the ICC, in a letter had instructed ZC to formalise the meetings in which Zimbabwe was suspended over government interference. Additionally, ZC was also directed to re-instate board which was appointed on June 14, 2019 and led by Tavengwa Mukuhlani.