Cricket in Zimbabwe

Cricket is the most popular sport in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is currently a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

History

Cricket was introduced to Rhodesia in the 19th century and the Rhodesian Cricket Union was formed in 1898. Rhodesia participated in the Currie Cup, the South African inter-province competition in 1904/05 and then again from 1929/30 until 1979/80. In May 1980, the new post colonial country of Zimbabwe severed its Cricketing ties with South Africa and it became an Associate Member of the (then) "International Cricket Conference".

Zimbabwe became a full member of the ICC on 6 July 1992 and played its first test match on 18 October-22 October the same year, against India at the Harare Sports Stadium in Harare. The match was drawn.

During the 2003 cricket World Cup, the political situation in Zimbabwe came to the fore on the Cricket field. 2 Zimbabwean players, Andy Flower (white) and Henry Olonga (black), defied orders and wore black armbands during matches in protest against the "death of democracy in Zimbabwe" - a reference to their concern over the political actions of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. Both players subsequently retired from Cricket and emigrated from Zimbabwe.

On 2 April 2004, Zimbabwe announced that test captain Heath Streak had resigned the captaincy and retired from Cricket. Over the following days it became clear that Streak had been dismissed. The fellow white players submitted a list of demands to the ZC, including the reinstatement of Streak and a review of the team selection process with a view to eliminating political and racial bias imposed by the Mugabe government. The ZC ignored the demands and fielded a team of inexperienced youths in 2 Tests and 3 ODIs against the touring Sri Lankan side. The understrength Zimbabwe team was resoundingly defeated, resulting in calls from many players, ex-players, commentators, and fans for the ICC to strip the ZC of Test status until the internal crisis could be resolved.

The matter reached a climax when ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed flew to Harare on 17 May to meet with ZC officials and discuss the crisis. The ZC refused to see him. Speed called an emergency meeting of the ICC Board to vote on the issue of Zimbabwe's suspension as a Test nation. On 21 May, with the vote just hours away, the ZC contacted Cricket Australia with an offer to cancel the 2 Test matches against Australia, due to begin the next day. Cricket Australia accepted the offer, thus averting the vote against the ZCU.

On 10 June, representatives of the ZC, Cricket Australia, the United Cricket Board of South Africa, and the Board of Control for Cricket in India met and agreed that all remaining Test matches involving Zimbabwe for 2004 would be cancelled.

In November 2005, Tatenda Taibu the young captain of the Zimbabwe national team resigned citing the Current Situation in Zimbabwe Cricket as the main reason. [1]

In March 2007, Zimbabwe Cricket, ordered national team members participating in the Cricket World Cup in to remove their dreadlocks. ^[1].

In May 2007, the Australian Prime Minister John Howard declared his opposition to the political situation in Zimbabwe and the conduct of the Mugabe government by formally blocking the proposed tour to Zimbabwe in September 2007, by the Australian cricket team after discussions with Australian players.^[2]

Governing body

Main article: Zimbabwe Cricket

Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) (formerly known as the Zimbabwe Cricket Union) is the governing body for the sport of cricket in Zimbabwe. It is a full member of the International Cricket Council and African Cricket Association, and operates the Zimbabwean cricket team, organising Test tours and One Day Internationals with other nations. It also organises domestic cricket in Zimbabwe.

Domestic competitions

See also: Logan Cup

The Logan Cup is the premier domestic first-class cricket competition in Zimbabwe. It has been contested on a provincial basis since the 1903-04 season, when the country was still called Rhodesia, but has only attained first-class status since Zimbabwe became a full member of the ICC in 1992.

Teams

Zimbabwean domestic First-class cricket involved the following teams before the introduction of franchise system in Zimbabwean Cricket:

• Centrals
• Northerns
• Southerns
• Westerns
• Easterns

The newly introduced five franchise sides are as follows:

• Matabeleland Tuskers
• Mashonaland Eagles
• Mid West Rhinos
• Southern Rocks
• Mountaineers

Former teams that played Logan Cup:

• Manicaland
• Mashonaland
• Matabeleland
• Midlands
• Mashonaland Country Districts
• Mashonaland "A"
• Mashonaland U-23
• Young Mashonaland
• CFX Academy

Masvingo were expected to receive first-class status in 2005-06, but that season of the Logan Cup was cancelled, and the team never had the opportunity to participate.

Teams which have also enjoyed first-class cricket status at some point include:

• Matabeleland Country Districts
• Zimbabwe Board XI
• Zimbabwe XI
• Zimbabweans
• Zimbabwe Board Presidents XI
• Zimbabwe Select
• Zimbabwe Provinces
• Zimbabwe "A"
• Zimbabwe "B"
• Rhodesia
• Rhodesians
• Rhodesia "A"
• Rhodesia "B"

National team

Main article: Zimbabwe national cricket team

See also

• Zimbabwean Cricket Crisis
• Sport in Zimbabwe

References

1. ^ Mhlanga-Nyahuye, Marvellous (22 March 2007). "Dreadlocked Zimbabwean Cricketers Submit To Scissors As Ordered". VOA News (Voice of America). http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2007-03/2007-03-22-voa69.cfm. Retrieved 1 January 2009. 
2. ^ "Government blocks cricket tour of Zimbabwe". The Australian. 2007-05-13. http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21721992-601,00.html. Retrieved 2007-05-13. 

External links

• zimcricketnews.com
• zimcricket.org