Zimpapers Logo

HARARE. — Wayne James, the former Zimbabwe wicket-keeper-batsman, has become the latest casualty of the shake-up in Zimbabwe cricket after he was removed from both the selection panel and the cricket committee.
James had served on both committees for the past four years, but received a letter from Zimbabwe Cricket last Friday notifying him that his services were no longer required.

The letter arrived two days after a fractious selection meeting in Bulawayo ahead of the third One-Day International against South Africa, which Zimbabwe lost by seven wickets.

Zimbabwe left out Brendan Taylor, their best batsman, for the game, but Wisden India understands that Givemore Makoni, the chairman of selectors, and Stephen Mangongo, the coach, were adamant that Hamilton Masakadza should also be dropped.

Although James could effectively be outvoted, he managed to convince Makoni and Mangongo that it would be unwise to leave out two such senior batsmen for the same game.

Masakadza at that point had three fifties in his last four ODIs and was retained for the game as Taylor was omitted.
James confirmed to Wisden India that he had received the letter but declined to comment further.

The departure of James, 48, is significant in that he was the only man on either committee who had any playing experience at first-class level.
James played four Tests and 11 ODIs for Zimbabwe between 1993 and 1996, and would have played more but for the presence of Andy Flower in the Zimbabwean side.

While Andrew Waller, the former coach, was asked to remain on the selection committee following his appointment to the new Director of Coaching role, he requested to be stood down from the panel and his advice has not been sought for any of the matches.

A ZC spokesperson said: “The selection panel is decided by the board. The board last met on the 25th of July, although it’s possible that there has been a teleconference since then.”

However, the other decisions taken at that board meeting — the decision to reassign Waller and appoint Mangongo and to split the captaincy between Taylor and Elton Chigumbura — were made public immediately.

Requests for clarity from ZC were not immediately forthcoming.
Zimbabwe’s selection policy since Mangongo became coach has appeared haphazard and reactionary, with 16 players being used during the three-match series against South Africa in Bulawayo, which the visitors won 3-0.

“We did not experiment at all,” Mangongo said. “That was the best possible available resources we had to use.
We look at form, we look at guys who are working hard in the nets, and those are the best possible players we had on the park on any given day.” —Wisden India.