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Eddie chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
THE Sports and Recreation Commission yesterday took a giant step towards resolving the domestic cricket impasse when they agreed to nullify their decision to suspend Zimbabwe Cricket board members.

This follows a series of meetings which have been held since last week.

The engagements — engineered by Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Minister Kirsty Coventry — also ended with acting ZC managing director, Givemore Makoni, bouncing back into his position.

The interim committee that had been running the game following the suspension of the board, led by Tavengwa Mukuhlani, has now been dissolved.

What is now left is just for an order, which the SRC have given their green light, to be issued by the Administrative Committee.

The suspended ZC leaders had approached the Administrative Court seeking an order to have their suspension nullified and, with the SRC agreeing to that, the granting of the order is guaranteed.

The ZC board was suspended by the SRC in June over allegations of electoral malpractices and financial misappropriation.

But the decision drew a fierce backlash from the ICC who suspended Zimbabwe from all cricket activities under their auspices.

The ICC also froze funding to Zimbabwe and had given an ultimatum for the reinstatement of the ZC board, before their next board meeting set for October 12, where Zimbabwe’s membership will be reviewed.

“On 24th June, 2019, the Applicants in the above matter, being the Directors of Zimbabwe Cricket, appealed to the Administrative Court of Zimbabwe, in terms of Section 32 (1) of the Sports and Recreation Commission Act, against the decision of the SRC to suspend them as Directors.

“Pursuant to formal engagement initiated by the affected Directors, the SRC is pleased to advise that the above matter, pending before the Administrative Court of Zimbabwe, has been settled with the parties thereto, including the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation agreeing to an Order by Consent.

“Once issued by the Administrative Court, the Order will have the effect, inter-alia, of lifting the suspension of the Directors of Zimbabwe Cricket, as well as that of the acting managing director thereof.

“Conversely, and upon such issuance, also by the Administrative Court, the Interim Committee appointed in terms of Section 30 (2) of the aforesaid Act, and including the interim managing Director, shall cease to be responsible for the affairs of Zimbabwe Cricket.

“The effective date of these respective occurrences shall be the date of issuance of the Consent Order by the Registrar of the Administrative Court of Zimbabwe,” read a statement from the Sports Commission.

The Sports Commission had suspended the ZC board of directors and its Acting Managing Director, Makoni, acting in terms of Section 30 of the SRC Act [Chapter 25:15] in June pending investigations.

An interim Committee led by Dave Ellman-Brown was appointed to administer the affairs of ZC until next year while veteran administrator Vince Hogg was also roped as interim managing director.

Mlotshwa confirmed in writing to ZC that the issues had been resolved.

“As intimated above, a number of meetings have been held with representatives of the ZC Board elected on the 14th June, the Minister of Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation and the Chairman of the SRC.

“Those meetings and deliberations have culminated in an agreed way forward which does not violate the constitution and statutes of ZC and the International Cricket Council. This letter therefore serves to officially and formally communicate to ZC the following:

(a)The SRC hereby revokes its suspension of the entire Board of ZC that was elected on the 14th June 2019.

(b) The SRC hereby revokes its suspension of the Acting Managing Director of ZC.

(c) The SRC hereby disbands and revokes the appointment of the interim committee which it had appointed to take over and administer the affairs of ZC.

(d) The SRC confirms that it has directed the interim Committee and its appointees to forthwith, restore full control of all affairs of ZC to the elected board of ZC.

“We confirm and restate hereto the commitment of the SRC that it shall not interfere with the administration of ZC’s affairs without consent of the International cricket Council.

“It has also been agreed by the parties that all court proceedings pending and instituted by and against the parties, shall forthwith be withdrawn,” wrote Mlotshwa to Mukuhlani.