Zimpapers Logo

Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Cricket chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani has hit out at “political vultures” whom he accusses of targeting his association’s dispute with former coach Heath Streak to further their ambitions and bring down his leadership and replace it with their clones.

Mukuhlani says those who have been trying to elbow them out of their posts have found a window of opportunity and are now using the issue related to Streak to hit at his leadership so that they use their buddies to run the game.

He claims a lot of misinformation was now being peddled by this group who have embarked on a vicious campaign to bring down his leadership.

Streak was shown the exit along with 12 other members of the coaching staff from the Under-19s, Zimbabwe A and the senior team after the ZC board resolved to have a relook of their structures, across the board, in the wake of disappointing performances by national teams.

The decision has already sucked in former Sports Minister David Coltart, who has since asked for the coach’s reinstatement, and the suspension of the board.

Coltart is a serial critic of successive ZC boards and was exposed as having played an influential role in the problems which beset the game during the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup culminating in England forfeiting their match against Zimbabwe in Harare because they didn’t want to travel to this country on political grounds.

Member of Parliament Temba Mliswa has also joined in the chorus and is set to address the media today where he is set to call for the dismissal of the ZC board.

Mukuhlani said they were aware of the “opportunists” trying to ride on the sympathy Streak has been getting from some quarters.

“During the West Indies tour in Bulawayo last year, Coltart as guest of honour, praised me in absentia for being the best administrator ever in cricket after we won the bid to host World Cup Qualifier,’’ Mukuhlani said.

“He praised all my decisions, unsolicited. He praised the board that I lead. A few months down the line, I have not changed and that board has not changed.

“So, before I respond to any of his criticism, Coltart has to tell me what has changed other than the fact that we have fired his blue-eyed boy Heath Streak.

“Coltart has to tell me what has changed today that all of a sudden he now supports (Under-19 coach) Steve Mangongo? When he was minister, Coltart he did not want Givemore Makoni; he did not want Mangongo.

“Now part of the noise is no longer about Heath Streak. It’s about an array of opportunists who think there is a window of opportunity to get into cricket; people with vested interests who have been waiting on the wings to come into cricket.

“For Coltart, as long as Streak is not comfortable or involved in the game, cricket is not well. It’s all about Streak. I am sure he is divorced from the fact that this is a national project and a not a personal thing.

“It’s neither mine nor Streak’s. In fact, we are all not going to be at ZC forever. Streak messed up with a national project and he has to be excused. It’s there in his contract and it’s in black-and-white. He had to own up and take the responsibility.’’

Mukuhlani said his board did everything in their power to support Streak and his men, including bringing back home from England two of the players he asked for – Brendan Taylor and Kyle Jarvis.

‘‘The board even obliged when he asked for the dismissal of bowling coach Makhaya Ntini and we took the criticism,’’ said Mukuhlani.

Streak has resisted his dismissal and has since instructed his lawyers to write to the association challenging the board’s decision.

Mukuhlani accused Streak of putting personal interests ahead of the nation in his desperate fight to keep his job after he failed to meet last Friday’s deadline to retire or face the axe.

“Heath, without a doubt, is a brand from his playing days. He is liked by people and he finds it very easy to get their sympathy.

“You know, it’s the same Heath Streak who caused a stir some years back during the ZC rebellion and up to now everyone else is blamed, except Heath.

‘‘It’s the same Heath who gave the ultimatum to the board that time and he played victim.

“It’s the same Heath during the rebellion who, after falling out of Zimbabwe Cricket, he pulled all the players, secured himself a county cricket contract and still came back to Zimbabwe Cricket when all the other players were out.

“It’s the same Heath who today is talking when he is in IPL and is pulling everyone else.

‘‘It’s always about Heath Streak and he always plays victim, he always tries to identify with the people and use the fact that he is a household name, a legend.

“You can’t take that away from him, he did so well as a cricketer, that’s true. But we are not mixing issues of his playing days and his coaching career.’’

Zimbabwe failed to qualify for the World Cup following a narrow three-run defeat to United Arab Emirates in the qualifiers last month.

Mukuhlani said it was ZC’s policy not to interfere with team selection and technical decisions but the board was not satisfied with the calls made in the last game of the Qualifier against UAE when all they needed was a win to qualify for the World Cup.

The ZC chairman confirmed they were in the process of putting up a commission of inquiry to look into the circumstances related to that game and had already advised the ICC of their concerns.

He said they couldn’t understand the last-minute changes made to the team, which saw Cephas Zhuwao being left out moments before the game, and replaced by PJ Moor.

The decision to also push Craig Ervine down the order was the other huge talking point.