Zim Cricket Rings More Changes

By The Standard | Jun. 5, 2009

ZIMBABWE Cricket has appointed chief executives for four of the newly created five franchises in its new domestic setup.

ZC recently announced the formation of the self-administered franchises in an effort to decentralise the governing of the game following the recommendations of an International Cricket Council (ICC) task force mission to the country last November.

Advertising executive Hugo Ribatika has been appointed CEO for Northerns, the country’s largest franchise to be based in Harare.

Bulawayo Metropolitan Province chairman Stan Staddon will be in charge of Westerns, who have requested to change their name to Matabeleland Warriors and look odds on to engage former Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak as coach.

Givemore Makoni will run Southerns while Kenyon Ziehl has been put in charge of Centrals. The Easterns CEO will be appointed soon.

Makoni and Ziehl’s appointments effectively mean they relinquish their incumbent jobs as national team manager and chairman of selectors, respectively.

Current selector Jackie du PreezÂ is set to replace Ziehl as the panel’s head. Du Preez played first-class cricket for Rhodesia and two Tests for South Africa in the 1960s.

ZC will appoint the selectors’ chairman with each franchise nominating a member to the panel.

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Meanwhile, IndependentSport can also reveal that ZC are close to striking a deal with Streak which will see the former national side skipper assisting Kevin Curran with coaching the Zimbabwe Under 19s.

This paper is reliably informed that the affable Streak is on the verge of terminating his contract with the rebel Indian Cricket League.

There has been discontent in the ICL recently with several players abandoning the league, which is not sanctioned by both the ICC and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Reports say players have not been paid for eight months.

BY ENOCK MUCHINJO