By Lovemore | 15 August, 2025 | Pindula
Statement of Senator David Coltart regarding Zimbabwe Cricket
I have noted the statement issued by Zimbabwe Cricket on the 12th August 2025 titled “ZC Condemns Coltart’s Smear Campaign”.
The remarkable backlash from Zimbabwean cricket supporters against ZC’s statement suggests that Zimbabweans are not fooled and that the criticism that I (and many others) have leveled against ZC is not a “smear campaign” but rather the genuine concerns of many Zimbabwean cricket supporters from all walks of life.
Nevertheless, I feel it necessary to issue a statement particularly to respond to Zimbabwe Cricket’s invitation made in their statement to “present concrete, factual evidence to support” the criticism of ZC.
At the outset I must express regret at the tone of the Zimbabwe Cricket statement which is akin to something I would expect from a political party, not a national sports body.
It is a shockingly mendacious document which distorts the truth and which, in the words of Advocate Fadzayi Mahere, reduces an “important national discourse to an hominem racist attack”.
I do not intend to defend myself against the racist attack; my record in Zimbabwe since I returned in 1983 speaks for itself and I am deeply heartened by the overwhelming support given by Zimbabweans across the racial and ethnic divide since the statement was issued.
It is clear to me that Zimbabwe Cricket have used a cheap shot, namely racist allegations, to try and deflect national debate regarding the deep rooted rot and malaise in cricket administration at present–and that the general public has seen through it.
With regard to the allegation that I have been involved in “divisive interference of cricket” a few facts need to be stated:
1. I did not play a “key role in planning” Henry Olonga and Andy Flower’s 2003 black-armband protest.
The facts are that they planned the protest and only sought advice from me regarding their statement issued at the time.
Both Henry Olonga’s book and numerous statements made since then by both men confirm this.
If anything my advice was that they protest in a way that would not disrupt the World Cup.
It is in fact demeaning to these two cricket legends that it even be suggested that they didn’t have minds of their own and that I played a key role in planning their protest.
As for their protest being “infamous” the fact is that their brave, selfless (both of them willingly forfeited their remaining international cricket playing careers), non partisan and peaceful protest was widely lauded throughout the cricketing world.
Andy Flower has gone on to be one of the most sought after coaches in the world and has taken England cricket and, this year, the Royal Challengers Bangalore to unprecedented heights.
Henry Olonga remains one of the most deeply respected cricketing icons in the world.
2. The Zimbabwe Cricket statement alleges that “thanks to pressure from Coltart England refused to travel to Harare for their World Cup match, triggering a long-lasting diplomatic and sporting rift”.
This is a total distortion of the truth. During the World Cup I met with the England team in Cape Town and tried to persuade them to play against Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe but failed.
The reference in the ZC statement to the article which was published by the Daily Telegraph on 31st December 2002 alleging “that I argued against the ICC’s principle of separating sport and politics” is also a distortion of what I wrote.
I succeeded with Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand but failed in England and Scotland, once again due to pressure from the British government.
All the details of these efforts are clearly laid out at pages 512 to 514 of my book.
None of what is written there has ever been refuted because it is all true and supported by independently verifiable sources.
3. The statement about the role I played recently in the UK at the time of the Trent Bridge test match is entirely false and misleading.
My interviews with Michael Atherton and other cricketing journalists were made in the context of Bulawayo being awarded the right to host the 2027 Street Children Cricket World Cup.
I was then – and remain – entirely supportive of Zimbabwe’s resumption of cricket relations with England, something I have consistently argued for.
Turning to the invitation to provide concrete, factual evidence to support my recent social media criticism of Zimbabwe Cricket I make the following points.
Indeed the ZC statement provides a useful opportunity for me to collate and expand upon criticism I have made through social media for the last few years.
1. I am deeply concerned by the state of cricket at grassroots level particularly Government schools.
From my perspective in Bulawayo, it is clear to me that facilities at schools like Milton and Plumtree (schools which have produced cricketing greats such as Henry Olonga and Pom Mbangwa) are at an all time low.
I don’t know how our young cricketers at these schools manage to continue playing cricket given the state of their fields and nets.
I suspect that save for a couple of schools in Harare the same applies countrywide.
The collapse of cricket in these schools is reflected in the fact that very few players are coming through the system.
I see little evidence of Zimbabwe Cricket pouring resources into Government schools countrywide.
Without this financial commitment the pool from which we draw future stars will continue to dry up with catastrophic consequences for the future.
The recent poor performance of the Under 19 team against Bangladesh and South Africa may be a reflection of this failure.
2. It appears that there is a conscious decision by Zimbabwe Cricket to promote cricket in Harare but little elsewhere.
This is reflected in nearly all T20 and ODI matches being played in Harare, selectors solely coming from Harare, substantial investment in academies in Harare but little elsewhere.
It is hard for young people in particular to be able to attend 5 day Tests and that is why it is important to give youngsters the opportunity right across the country to watch T20 and ODI matches.
It is also increasingly reflected in the composition of National teams with almost all the players selected coming from Harare.
All but one player in the current senior men’s team come from Harare. All but two players in the current men’s Under 19 team come from Harare and its environs.
Is it really the case that the rest of the country isn’t producing players of international quality?
Cricket is a national game and we can only compete well internationally if we promote the game fairly right across Zimbabwe.
I need to stress that this goes beyond just Bulawayo. Other major cricketing centers like Kwekwe, Mutare, Gweru and Masvingo need to be supported.
Whilst only Bulawayo and Harare have Test venues there is no reason why T20 games in particular cannot be played elsewhere.
Likewise there needs to be an equitable distribution of funds to smaller centers to promote the game across the country.
3. The only other major investment outside of Harare by ZC is the construction of a cricket stadium costing millions of dollars in Victoria Falls which in my view at this juncture is a misplaced budgetary priority.
Victoria Falls is a small tourist town with a tiny cricket supporting population. The development of this boutique stadium is unprecedented world wide.
In every other Test playing nation the primary investment by their Boards has been to invest in existing stadia in large population centers right across their countries.
It must be clear that this stadium is not primarily part of an objective to take the game to smaller centers to promote the game.
It appears to be mainly to have a stadium in a tourist center to attract foreign teams who will come for reasons beyond the sole purpose of playing cricket.
Whilst this may be admirable if the financial health of ZC was good it is a terrible misplaced budgetary priority given the fact that cricket venues in cities across the country outside of Harare are collapsing and there is, as stated above, a near total collapse of cricketing facilities at most Government schools countrywide.
Unless we focus on the development of grassroots cricket and the game right across the country our ability to play the game well at international level will continue to erode and ultimately the Victoria Falls stadium will become a white elephant.
4. The issue which appears to have excited the most hostility from ZC – selection – is one which I have been concerned about from the time when I was Minister of Sport.
At the time I issued a directive that national selection panels for all sporting disciplines should be comprised of former international players from across the country.
When I issued the directive it was only Cricket Zimbabwe who expressed concern and all sorts of aspersions were directed my way by Cricket Zimbabwe then.
In other words no other sporting discipline had any problem with the directive.
My view is that ZC selection procedures and policies have become even more problematic since the directive was issued back in 2012. At present the selectors only come from Harare.
This is in marked contrast to, for example, BCCI’s policies who have selectors from across India, most of whom are iconic former players. The BCCI policy ensures that talent right across India is identified.
The ZC statement alleges that I am only concerned about white players but that is another brazen untruth.
Whilst I have alleged that there is an unwritten quota, that quota relates to race, ethnicity, region and club.
Inexplicably black and white players who have, for example, performed the best in some of national tournaments such as our T20 tournament, have been excluded from our national teams.
There is a disproportionate number of players who come from Harare itself and one club in particular, namely Takashinga.
The result has been that on a purely objective statistical basis we have not been selecting our best players across all formats.
Related to this is an apparent reluctance to select Zimbabwean players who are currently playing overseas.
5. In the last few years I have received numerous reports of a toxic atmosphere in many teams, particularly the national team. Players have reported being treated poorly in a variety of respects.
Some players have been openly intimidated by management and certain coaches.
I am deliberately not going to go into detail so as to protect players, but these complaints have been made on numerous occasions over years by numerous players right across the racial divide.
I need to stress that this conduct is not limited to the senior national team but includes shocking conduct directed towards some black Under-19 players.
Whilst I cannot of course verify all these reports they are so numerous as to be credible and their repetition and content give them a distinct ring of truth.
On the field of play it is obvious to anyone with eyes that our teams are dejected and play with little fight.
That is emblematic of an unhappy team which goes beyond their poor performance on the field. It is a symptom of a much deeper malaise.
6. The composition of the Zimbabwe Cricket Board is also a matter of deep concern. There is not a single member of the Board who has played First Class Cricket. This is in marked contrast to nearly every other Test playing nations’ Boards.
The recent outgoing Chair of BCCI Roger Binny was a key member of India’s 1983 World Cup winning team.
Md Aminul Islam, the President of Bangladesh Cricket Board, was a former Bangladesh Captain and the country’s first Test centurion.
As far as I can see every other Test nation Board has at least one prominent former player on its Board.
In other words in other Boards there are key people who have a deep understanding of the game.
Election procedures for the ZC Board are opaque and it is difficult for people outside of the current leadership to get elected.
The result is that it appears that ZC is in fact run by a small unrepresentative clique with little understanding of or passion for cricket, who self perpetuate their tenure.
There has been very little turn over in actual management of ZC for at least a decade. My view is that the Board is at the root of the current malaise.
Zimbabwe Cricket desperately needs a more representative Board which includes leading former national players who demonstrate a passion for the game and administrative prowess.
If these comments were made in the context of improving performance on the field of play they could be easily dismissed.
However it is clear to all objective observers that Zimbabwe Cricket is in a dire and declining state.
Virtually all our teams have suffered humiliating defeats in all formats in the last few years and we now even battle to qualify for World Cups.
The recent poor performance by our Under 19 team against South Africa and Bangladesh is perhaps the most worrying sign of a deep rooted malaise in our national game.
I want to make clear that I stand fully behind the players. The blame must lie with ZC.
Ironically the politically charged statement issued against me, which seeks to deflect criticism, is in itself the surest sign that there is something badly wrong in Zimbabwe Cricket.
The views expressed here are not my own – they are widely shared by thousands of cricket supporters of all races right across Zimbabwe.
If these concerns are not addressed, cricket in Zimbabwe will continue to decline.
If, instead of attacking those who raise concerns, ZC addresses these concerns, then I believe cricket will flourish in Zimbabwe and our players and supporters will be the biggest beneficiaries.
Senator David Coltart
Bulawayo
14th August 2025
This is in response to the statement below issued by Zimbabwe Cricket
For too long, David Coltart has waged a relentless smear campaign against Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC), targeting its black administrators with baseless accusations lacking any credible evidence.
It is time to call his bluff and expose his agenda for what it truly is.
Coltart’s frequent social media tirades – disguised as the voice of “concerned cricket lovers” – in reality propagate a deeply divisive and damaging narrative.
His rhetoric threatens the unity and progress that ZC has painstakingly built over many years.
Far from offering constructive criticism, his attacks are fuelled by personal bitterness and racial prejudice, aimed solely at undermining the integrity of selectors and administrators who operate under strict, merit-based and transparent processes.
While selection is inherently subjective and globally sparks healthy debate among cricket fans, that is normal and part of the game.
However, Coltart’s persistent claims of non-existent racist policies are both dangerous and deplorable.
Such accusations distract from the real work of developing Zimbabwean cricket and erode public trust in a fair, transparent system.
We challenge Coltart to abandon his hollow posts and present concrete, factual evidence to support his claims.
Without proof, his accusations amount to bar talk – empty noise unworthy of serious consideration but too dangerous to ignore given his political standing and influence.
To understand the gravity of Coltart’s attempts to destabilise ZC, one must appreciate the complex legacy of cricket in Zimbabwe.
Introduced in 1890 by the Pioneer Column during a segregated colonial era, cricket was long the preserve of the white minority.
It was not until 1995 – more than a century later – that a black player represented Zimbabwe at the national level.
This history of exclusion is a stain that ZC unequivocally rejects.
Since independence in 1980, racial relations in Zimbabwe have come a remarkable distance.
In recent years, ZC’s transformation drive has made national, provincial and club teams more representative of the country’s demographics.
The commitment to this integration policy – meant to grow cricket and keep it strong – helped Zimbabwe become a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 1992.
We are proud of these achievements and remain committed to selecting only the best players – regardless of skin colour – to represent our national teams.
There is absolutely no place for racial prejudice in our game.
The ICC Anti-Discrimination Code prohibits conduct “likely to offend, insult, humiliate, intimidate, threaten, disparage or vilify any reasonable person . . . on the basis of their race, religion, culture, colour, descent, national or ethnic origin”.
ZC’s compliance with this policy is absolute and non-negotiable.
Discrimination in team selection, administration or any aspect of our operations will never be tolerated.
This stands in stark contrast to Coltart’s own record.
His tenure as Minister of Sport was marked by divisive interference and politicisation of cricket.
In fact, his politicisation of the sport dates back to the 2003 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, co-hosted by Zimbabwe.
In a Daily Telegraph opinion piece on 31 December 2002 titled ‘Politics has no place in sport – so boycott the World Cup’, Coltart argued against the ICC’s principle of separating sport and politics.
In the lead-up to the tournament, he met with players Andy Flower and Henry Olonga and played a key role in planning the infamous black-armband protest.
Thanks to pressure from Coltart and his ilk, England refused to travel to Harare for their World Cup match, triggering a long-lasting diplomatic and sporting rift.
For 23 years, England froze bilateral cricket relations with Zimbabwe – a freeze that only ended in May 2025, when the current ZC administration successfully negotiated a historic one-off Test at Trent Bridge.
This achievement is the result of years of patient diplomacy and bridge-building by ZC.
Yet Coltart shamelessly presents himself as a champion of Zimbabwe cricket in light of this milestone.
During the national team’s recent tour to England, he thrust himself into the media spotlight, offering interviews and commentary to portray himself as a saviour, while conveniently ignoring his role in the crises that crippled Zimbabwe cricket for decades.
The irony is profound: Coltart, a former officer in the Rhodesian police – an institution notorious for oppressing black Zimbabweans – now poses as a white liberal messiah, spreading a toxic, race-obsessed narrative that sows division rather than healing.
In 2018, he publicly acknowledged his past role and expressed regret for supporting an unjust system that discriminated against black people.
Yet his ongoing social media campaign betrays a lack of true repentance.
His selective outrage reveals his agenda: he protests only when white players are overlooked but remains silent when black players miss out on national team selection.
He also celebrates only cricket milestones by white players.
While this is his prerogative, it exposes his “concerns” as a façade for a racial agenda – not the best interests of Zimbabwean cricket.
The progress ZC has made speaks louder than Coltart’s bitter diatribes.
Organising high-profile tours, including recent Test series against South Africa and New Zealand in Coltart’s own mayoral backyard of Bulawayo, alongside full compliance with ICC’s Anti-Discrimination Code, are milestones achieved through the dedication of players, administrators and coaches committed to excellence and unity.
ZC rejects division. We reject politicisation. And we categorically reject Coltart’s cynical campaign to destabilise the sport.
We call on the cricketing community and the public to see through Coltart’s charade and stand firmly with Zimbabwean cricket as we build a future founded on unity, fairness and sporting excellence.
Our cricket is a shared heritage belonging to every Zimbabwean who plays, supports and loves the game, not to divisive politicians clinging to a bitter past.
ZIMBABWE CRICKET 12 AUGUST 2025
Darlington Majonga
Media and Communications
Zimbabwe Cricket