The Telegraph – Calcutta

http://www.telegraphindia.com/

By Lokendra Pratap Sahi

27 February 2011

Bangalore: England’s head coach (or Team Director) Andy Flower, a former captain of Zimbabwe, spoke to The Telegraph for almost an hour at the Royal Gardenia on Saturday.

The Q&A specific to the India-England match was published on Sunday. Excerpts from the rest of the one-on-one:

Q You’ve quickly moved on from being an outstanding batsman to a hugely respected head coach…

A (Smiles) Making the transformation has been very interesting… I’ve learnt a lot about myself, a lot about coaching… All in a short span of time… I guess Gary Kirsten feels the same way.

The journey has been smooth, isn’t it?

I’ve been very lucky in the way things have panned out… This is an exciting part of my career.

What made you get into coaching in a big way?

I’ve actually been involved with coaching for a long time and, when Zimbabwe got Test status (1992), the Union paid me more as a coach than as a player… Basically, I and three others (Dave Houghton, Alistair Campbell and brother Grant) were employed as coaches, but also played… Later, I went to England and coached Oxford University and did some coaching in Holland as well, before getting associated with the England team.

Have you regarded any coach as a role model?

Not as a role model, but I’ve definitely been influenced by people… I’ve had strong influences… If you pay attention to what others are doing, then you can learn the good things as also learn from the mistakes… There are good coaches and bad and you’ve got to pick out what works and what doesn’t. I’ve been a learner and I realise that I can make as many mistakes as the next person. However, I learn from my mistakes and from the mistakes of others, so that they don’t get repeated.

Graham Gooch, whom you’ve brought on board as batting coach, has been a big influence…

Indeed, yes… Also Peter Moores, my predecessor… Moores taught me just how much planning goes into coaching… I saw the way he managed a group, the way he went about his job as England’s head coach. I’m grateful to Moores… On the technical side, I’ve learnt a lot from Gooch and Houghton… In a different way, some of Zimbabwe’s older cricketers, like John Traicos, left a big impression… The way they managed doing a job, playing and finding time for family. They were more diligent and determined than some of the professional cricketers I’ve come across.

As the head coach, is your plate full?

The clearest role that I have is to prepare the team… That done, Andrew Strauss takes it on the field… To help with the preparations, I have specialist coaches, like Gooch and David Saker (the fast bowling coach)… I look into the sports science part as well, so I have a multi-dimensional role.

But Gooch isn’t with you all the time…

He spends chunks of time with us, quite like (former ’keeper) Bruce French… I think it’s nice for players to have their own time, instead of regularly having to work with the specialist coaches. We try to get the balance right.

What about the man management bit?

It’s there… It’s impossible to have a friendly, perfect relationship with everyone, but a healthy relationship has to be there… Players are called upon to do special things under pressure and, so, they need to have a healthy relationship with those who’re there to guide them. It has to be a two-way traffic.

Is Mushtaq Ahmed’s role confined to being the spin bowling coach?

No… Mushy does more than that. He has a larger role and works with the batsmen too… His knowledge of cricket and of people comes together to work very well for us.

Moores and Kevin Pietersen didn’t get along with each other, but it’s different between you and Strauss…

Strauss and I have worked well together… We were thrown together rather fortuitously because of that (Pietersen-Moores) situation… It was a sad situation to develop… That’s in the past now… There’s mutual respect in my relationship with Strauss, who is a good cricketer and a man of strong principles, besides being a very good leader.

The roles are clearly defined?

Yes… On the field, Strauss is the boss, off it, we share responsibilities… Grey areas are there, but we find answers and get to a solution. (Adds laughing) We’re both fairly reasonable people, though I must say Strauss is quite stubborn.

What’s special about Strauss as captain?

He’s a fair and good man and, therefore, he’s respected by his players… He doesn’t shirk hard work… In fact, he embraces it and insists on that from his players… Equally, he keeps a good perspective… He knows what’s happening around the world, is well-read… It’s not that he lives in a little cocoon of cricket… The good perspective allows him to make good decisions. He’s in a better position to do so and that’s something which makes him a good leader.

Did you set yourself a goal when you took over as head coach?

My priority, initially, was to have a good relationship with Strauss and with the rest of the team… Depending on who we’re talking about, those relationships vary… Later, becoming No.1 has been the priority… Everything we do in our professional lives is, clearly, driven by that goal.

You come across as rather quiet, happy to be in the background, like Kirsten. How is it in the dressing room?

There are times when a leader, be it the captain or coach, has to draw the line and people have to understand that they can’t step over it… You don’t have to rave and rant and you don’t have to read the Riot Act… One deals with adults and, usually, there’s a better way of doing things… But, yes, there can be times and places when that might be appropriate.

What gave more satisfaction — winning the Ashes in 2009, pocketing the World T20 last year or retaining the Ashes this season?

All… I wouldn’t like to pick and choose… It’s hard to compare… However, because of the emphatic manner (all three wins by an innings), I suppose retaining the Ashes, in Australia, would rank a notch higher… I’m very proud of the team for everything we’ve achieved.

England’s rise must be putting you too under pressure to keep delivering?

There’s always the pressure of expectations, for the simple reason that we’re one of the bigger Test-playing nations… Quite rightly, we’re expected to perform on the world stage… I embrace this pressure and I’d like the players to do the same… We talk of pressure in a sporting context, but we’ve got to remember that people face pressure in many other aspects of life… They face a lot of pressure. The pressure sportsmen face should, therefore, be put in context.

How do you unwind at the end of a day of high pressure?

I like spending time with somebody from the team, perhaps a member of the coaching staff… Could be over a meal, or just coffee or beer.

Pleased that Zimbabwe will soon be back playing Test cricket?

I’m not sure of the details, so I wouldn’t like to comment, but I’ll definitely say that people like David Coltart, the sports minister, are making a tremendous effort and putting in the energy to regenerate the sport… Coltart is keeping an eye on what’s happening in cricket… Some of the cricket brains, so to say, are getting back into the sport in Zimbabwe. Combined with the natural talent of some of the youngsters, that bodes well for Zimbabwe.

Grant has gone back…

He enjoys the lifestyle in Zimbabwe and it’s great that he’s the batting coach. He had a wonderful time at Essex and learnt a lot.

The last one… Your thoughts on Kirsten?

(Smiles) I respect him tremendously… Had a lot of respect for him as a player and have a lot of respect for him as a person and as a coach… He’s an outstanding guy and I hope I haven’t embarrassed him by saying that. He’s simple in such a nice way and goes about his job quietly and with dignity… I’m aware that the India players respect him, it’s well-deserved.

Herald

26 February 2011

By Augustine Hwata

THE domestic Premiership transformed itself into the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League yesterday after a marriage made in heaven with Delta Beverages that will run over three years and is worth about US$2 million in prize money.

Delta Beverages will pour US$600 000 in cash into the Premiership this year but all the costs associated with funds to be injected into the football partnership will gobble around US$1,8 million this season alone.

Winners of the 2011 Castle Lager Premier-ship title are set to get US$70 000, a massive rise from the handshake that Motor Action got for winning the title last year.

Rains that fell in Harare yesterday were just a good omen, for those who are superstitious, as Delta and the Premiership marked the rebirth of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League at a colourful ceremony at the Wild Geese leisure centre on the outskirts of the capital.

Sadly, PSL boss Twine Phiri was not part of the proceedings after being involved in a road accident in South Africa on Thursday.

Phiri, though, is recovering well and was discharged from a Johannesburg hospital yesterday and caught a flight back home last night.

Zimbabwean football had been crying for a corporate partner over the past two seasons since CBZ Holdings withdrew and yesterday the football fraternity had something to smile about when Delta were officially presented as the sponsors for the next three years.

In his keynote address at the ceremony, Delta Beverages’ chief executive Joe Mutizwa said his company was happy to return to football and they were hopeful their investment will help boost their Castle Lager brand.

“The Castle Lager Premier League sponsorship covers an initial period of three years – that is 2011, 2012 and 2013 seasons.

“Thereafter, the sponsorship is subject to further renewals for a period of three years at a time.

“It is our sincere hope that the sponsorship will stand the test and be renewed again and again.

“Everything hinges on the ability of the various partners to abide by the letter and spirit of our contract to the full,” said Mutizwa.

He pointed out that the full financial impact of sponsorship, which reaches to about US$ 1,8 million this year alone, was a bigger figure than the cheque unveiled yesterday.

Delta Beverages’ marketing director, Maxen Karombo, told journalists that his company will also unveil various programmes to attract fans to the stadiums as well as promoting their products.

“The direct cash injection is US$600 000 but the total package is nearly US$1,8m with money put for promotions, media adverts and the super-fan promotions,” he said.

Delta’s sponsorship is for the league games only, but Karombo said they were not ruling out the possibility of a knockout cup like the Castle Cup in future.

“We need to take one step at a time. The opportunity for a knockout cup can come in future but we have to evaluate each step.

“The Castle Cup still remains on our menu but, for now, the focus is on the league,” said Karombo.

PSL chief executive officer Kenny Ndebele said the league will jealously guard their marriage with Delta.

“The Premier Soccer League has in the past two years been taunted as the “Premier Social League” as we had no partner.

“The lack of sponsorship affected competition.

“A league without a sponsorship is a like a man without clothes.

“The Delta branding will certainly change the image of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.

“The PSL, in its marriage to Delta, has agreed to offer the following products – competitions, players, teams, passion, events, pre-and-post match activities, coaches, match officials and performance,” said Ndebele.

The PSL chief executive said as much as 15 points could be deducted from a team that takes the league to court.

Guest of Honour, the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Welshman Ncube, who was representing his Education, Sport, Arts and Culture counterpart David Coltart, called on the football administrators to move away from the era of squabbles.

“Soccer is by far Zimbabwe’s number one sport with millions of supporters countrywide.

“I would like to take this opportunity to both warn and advise our sports administrators to act professionally and respect this sponsorship. The management of this relationship must be transparent,” said Ncube.

Ncube also encouraged the media to be more responsible and professional and avoid dwelling on the negative side of football as this also scared away sponsorship.

The Telegraph

By Simon Briggs

25 February 2011

The return of Zimbabwe to the international cricket stage has been a public relations triumph for its coalition government. “Cricket is a microcosm of Zimbabwe,” said David Coltart, the minister for education, sport, arts and culture.

If true, this would suggest that racial tolerance and responsible governance have resurfaced at national level, as well as within the cricket board.

The reality is more complicated. President Robert Mugabe still clings on to power, despite the appointment of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai as his prime minister. Indeed, it is feared that Mugabe could reclaim his majority in the next round of elections this coming summer.

At a time when undemocratic governments are crumbling around the world, Mugabe remains the dictator’s dictator. Last weekend, a group of 52 Zimbabweans who gathered to watch a video of events in northern Africa were arrested and imprisoned, though not before one of them was thrown from a window and suffered a broken leg.

Should Zimbabwe be excluded from the World Cup on the grounds that their president is a murderous thug? Probably not, given that other countries – notably Pakistan and Sri Lanka – suffer from political intrigues and human rights abuses of their own.

Still, we should be wary of this idea that a healthier cricket team implies a healthier nation. There may be other forces at work here, not all of them benign.

It is true that the set-up in Zimbabwe has improved hugely since 2006 — the year they voluntarily relinquished their Test status.

Under the management of the admirable Coltart, it is hard to see the accounts being incinerated, or plunged into a bath, as was rumoured to have happened before the notorious KPMG investigation of March 2008, which found “serious financial irregularities”.

In recent months, a number of white players have returned to coach and play for the national team, so that Grant Flower now manages the batsmen, and Heath Streak the bowlers, while Alistair Campbell is the chairman of selectors.

The domestic game has been pepped up by the introduction of five franchises as opposed to the old Mashonaland-Matabeleland duopoly, and December’s Twenty20 competition boasted a number of overseas imports such as Jason Gillespie, Brian Lara and our own Nick Compton.

And yet, despite all these improvements, the people at the top of Zimbabwe cricket have not changed. In this respect, at least, cricket really is a microcosm of Zimbabwe, for the sport is still governed by Peter Chingoka and Ozias Bvute, a pair of deeply discredited plutocrats who have been accused of embezzling International Cricket Council money.

The question we should really be asking is cui bono – who benefits – from Zimbabwe’s resurrection as a cricket power?

Yes, the players can take comfort from the return of stability to their management and coaching structure, and they can surely learn from the advice of such superstars as Lara.

But the elephant in the room is the annual payment that Zimbabwe Cricket receives from the ICC.

In the last set of accounts, it stood at around US$5million. Is it any coincidence that, by investing in the national team, Chingoka and Bvute have safeguarded that income for the foreseeable future?

This may be a cynical reading of the situation. But it would seem to be shared by Henry Olonga, the fast bowler who joined Andy Flower in a brave black-armband protest at the 2003 World Cup, and who told a recent interviewer that he still doesn’t trust Zimbabwe Cricket as far as he can spit.

Yes, a successful and integrated team may provide a distraction for those unfortunate enough to live in a country where the life expectancy has dropped to below 40. But do not expect Zimbabwean sport to influence Zimbabwean politics over-much.

Look at those who took a moral stand over Zimbabwe’s repressive regime seven years ago: Olonga, Andy Flower and the England team. It is the players themselves who suffered, either by being driven out of their native land, or through elimination at the World Cup.

Mugabe once said that “cricket civilises people and creates good gentlemen”. It is a lesson that he, still the patron of Zimbabwe Cricket, appears to have forgotten.

For no matter what is happening on the cricket pitch, or even in the council-rooms of Western democracies, he just keeps batting on regardless.

Radio VOP

Friday, 25 February 2011

GUTU – Teachers here are being forced to buy Zanu (PF) membership cards by war veterans led by controversial leader Jabulani Sibanda (Pictured), the Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) has said.

“I went to see for myself after teachers came to our provincial office in Masvingo crying for help. The situation is extremely terrible,” PTUZ president Takavafira Zhou said last week. “Teachers are living in fear. They have no option besides buying Zanu (PF) cards for their safety.

War veterans are moving all over the district and teachers are jostling to get the cards.”?? Sibanda refused to comment on the matter when approached by RadioVOP saying he was too busy to attend to reporters’ questions. “I have no time for journalists right now. If you want arrange a day so that I will give you a press conference rather than calling me when I am busy doing my work,” the war veterans leader said.

Zhou said his union was planning to meet Education Minister David Coltart over harassment of teachers schools mostly in rural areas. Coltart has previously called on politicians and their supporters not to turn schools into political battle grounds.

Zimbabwean

Written by Sizani Weza

Thursday, 24 February 2011

Harare – The exhibition, ‘Giving a Voice to the Voiceless,’ featuring images by international award winning photojournalist Ed Kashi opened on Tuesday, February 22, at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe. (Pictured: Ambassador Ray with Minister Coltart) The exhibition, which runs until March 23, features striking images captured by Ed Kashi over a 30 year career doing assignments for magazines such as National Geographic all over world. Among the images is a Nigerian woman forced to bake her tapioca with the heat of a oil pipeline gas fire, a Vietnamese girl suffering from Agent Orange disabilities, and a Kurdish woman returning home to Kirkuk after 20 years of displacement.  The exhibit as a whole spans four continents including Africa, the Middle East, North America and Asia.

Guests at the launch of the exhibition, which is jointly-sponsored by the United States Embassy Public Affairs Section and the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, included diplomats, artists, and government and local government officials. Speakers hailed the role of photojournalism and concurred that whether uncovering human rights violations, confirming the devastating impact of war and conflict, or revealing corruption and environmental pollution, the camera provides a voice for the voiceless.

“While this exhibition presents us with a sampling of work from Mr. Kashi’s prolific career, it also stands as a tribute to the noble field of photojournalism; a tribute to those men and women who use their cameras to tell some of the world’s most compelling stories—to give a voice to the voiceless,” said Charles Ray, U.S. Ambassador.

“For the photojournalist, telling these stories oftentimes comes with great risk….And for all that risk, the photojournalist is given an incredible responsibility as they witness and experience the most personal, intimate and vulnerable moments of an individual’s life—moments that show indignity and incivility— photojournalist do their part to not only give these people a voice, but also to return to them their dignity and civility,” said the U.S. Ambassador.

Education, Culture, Sport and Art Minister David Coltart noted the important role images and film play in documenting the accurate history of any one country. “This exhibition is so important, because it sets a standard for us as a nation regarding what takes place elsewhere, and, importantly, it shows us that this can be a positive thing. It’s something we should not be frightened of,” said Minister Coltart.  Coltart said it was a tragedy that many of the significant events in Zimbabwe’s history have not been recorded on film or video.

With the exhibition, Giving Voice to the Voiceless, Kashi demonstrates the immense power of the reflective lens in bringing light to the problems of this world and to the power of the human spirit in overcoming those problems. In a statement to mark the exhibition, Kashi said illustrating the optimistic human spirit – its strength, energy, courage, determination, humor, compassion, beauty, and hope – generates development.

“As many good people, governments, and organizations diligently work to promote solutions to combat our troubling global concerns, the role of photojournalists is to support and encourage these efforts, as well as to uncover and bear witness to the problems. It is essential for the public to know what those in power are doing and what is happening to the less fortunate; to be made aware of how we are all connected in our societies and, ultimately, on this earth. Visual storytelling plays a unique role in affording this transparency,” said the award winning photojournalist.

Daily News

By Chengetayi Zvauya, Staff Writer

Thursday, 24 February 2011

HARARE – Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture David Coltart, has put in motion plans to protect teachers from political harassment during elections.

Coltart told Parliament on Wednesday that he was working on a document that will be presented to Cabinet, outlining the new measures that include bans on political gatherings in schools.

“There are measures we are going to put in place to protect the teachers and I shall inform Parliament once I have finished tabling the matter in Cabinet, said Coltart. “I am in touch with the teachers unions constantly on matters concerning their members who are harassed.”

The feisty minister said the violence of 2008 did not spare the teachers who were easily targeted by suspected Zanu PF supporters in the run up to the run off.

“I know that in 2008 elections we had problems.  It was very difficult as there was a lot of political intimidation to the teachers, but now there are a few cases, but we don’t want any single case of political victimisation,’’ said Coltart.

He said he had established a close working relationship with the three unions representing teachers and was on course to help mitigate the problems haunting the profession.

Coltart was responding to a  question from Chinhoyi MP Stewart Garadhi, who enquired what measures government had put in place to protect teachers against harassment and violations.

Zanu PF supporters in the volatile rural areas have been accused of turning some schools into bases to conduct their party business.

Their critics say they target teachers in their “indoctrinations” because they are seen as sympathetic to  the MDC faction led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

During the 2008 elections thousands of teachers fled from their teaching posts in the rural areas after being harassed and victimised by Zanu PF supporters.

Daily News

By Enock Muchinjo, Deputy Sports Editor

23 February 2011

HARARE – Zimbabwe’s Sports Minister David Coltart joined cricket fans in reacting warmly to the team’s battling performance in its World Cup opening match on Monday, despite the 91-run defeat to defending champions Australia.

Zimbabwe bowled and fielded remarkably well in the Indian city of Ahmedabad to restrict the Aussies to a gettable 262-6 in 50 overs.

The Zimbabwean spinners, led by 34-year-old left-armer Ray Price, restrained the feared Australian batsmen by constantly hitting accurate lengths and lines.

In pursuit, Zimbabwe was however outdone by the champions’ pace barrage as the frontline trio of Brett Lee, Shaun Tait and Mitchell Johnson helped reduce the African side to 171 in 46.2 overs.

Coltart, a keen cricket follower, led the praises with a Facebook message on leg-spinner Graeme Cremer’s page.

The 24-year-old Cremer took 1-41 in 10 overs before top-scoring with 38 at number nine.

“Graeme, superb all-round performance today,” wrote Coltart.

“Congratulations! Now you need to help lift the spirits of the other lads who struggled more than you did. That was a very credible performance today. You have little time in the middle with teams of that so you all acquitted yourselves superbly. We are immensely proud of you all.”

Cremer’s friend, Levi Pearce, also posted on his Wall: “I can’t find a word to describe you; inspiring, dogged, almost arrogant in the way you took it to Aus at the end with the bat.”

Alister Zowe, Zimbabwe women’s team coach, added his comment: “In a match like that you walk away with your head high. They did well. Oh, they can only get better.”

Most comments on the match were posted on Cricinfo, the world’s leading cricket website.

“Zim bowled very well and should be commended for that, the spinners spot on, Australia showed their shyness when playing against spin the innings,” observed Titch Maphosa, adding: “If (Chris) Mpofu and (Chigumbura) had not given away so many (runs) they would have kept them under 250. Zimbabwe’s batting is good.

They are however not used to playing genuine pace. The 135kmh+ they usually play at home against medium pacers expose their weakness. Today they played well and showed the Aussies too much respect. A little respect was okay, but not as much as Zim gave.”

Voma, another Cricinfo reader, reckoned the Australians would fail to beat tougher opposition if their subdued performance against Zimbabwe a sign of things to come.

He said: “Hmm interesting how the Zimbabwe bowlers restricted the Australian batsmen. Against better opponents, I think Aussies would be staring down the barrel of defeat.”

Guardian

By Andy Bull

Sunday 20 February 2011

Much has changed in the troubled African country since their last World Cup appearance

“Cricket is Zimbabwe in microcosm. But we have had more success in rebuilding our cricket than we have in other areas.” David Coltart should know. For the past two years he has been Zimbabwe’s minister for education, sport, arts and culture. He has been at the heart of the rebuilding process that has seen Zimbabwean cricket, like the country itself, tentatively brought back from the brink of ruin.

In Harare on 11 March 2007 a civilian was shot dead by the police during what was supposed to be a peaceful protest rally and Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party, of which Coltart was a founding member, was arrested then tortured in his cell. The same day Zimbabwe took part in the opening ceremony of the last World Cup. They were missing many of their white players, who had quit the team in protest at the way the sport was being run. They endured a dismal tournament. The previous year they had suspended themselves from Test cricket, and, for the first time in more than a century, the Logan Cup – Zimbabwe’s first-class domestic competition – was cancelled.

Four years on, and Tsvangirai and Coltart both serve in Zimbabwe’s coalition government. Many of those white players have returned from exile. The team play their first match of the 2011 World Cup on Monday, against Australia. Heath Streak, whose father was imprisoned in 2002 because he had refused to hand over his family farm, is now the bowling coach. Grant Flower, who left in 2004 saying “never again”, is the batting coach. They work alongside the very men with whom they once argued so bitterly. “Cricket,” says Coltart, “has already played an important role in reconciling not just racial groups within the country, but also people with different political opinions.”

Coltart is the man who began this healing process. He understands better than anyone the links between Zimbabwean sport, politics and society. “Sport has a huge role to play in reconciling the nation to itself,” he says. “You cannot separate cricket from wider political events. When Morgan Tsvangirai and all of us in the MDC entered into this transitional government we knew it was an imperfect arrangement. We had to go into cabinet with someone I personally have opposed for my entire professional career. But we did it in the interests of the country, because we realised the country faced total collapse. It has been very difficult, but the point is we have done it for the benefit of the people. And the same applies to cricket. Yes there are people who were certainly associated with [Robert] Mugabe’s Zanu-PF in the past. And yes, it was necessary to work with them if we were going to take the nation, and cricket, forward.”

It took Flower six months to make up his mind to return. “But I kept asking myself, ‘do you want to help Zimbabwe recover?'” he says, “‘Or do you just stay bitter?'” Streak agrees. “Of course there was scepticism at first but now this is all about keeping cricket alive in Zimbabwe.”

“Whether we like it or not Zanu-PF is a political party in this country,” says Coltart. “It still enjoys the support of probably 20-30% of the population and we can’t ignore that.”

He has plenty of reason not to like it. He has seen first hand the crimes that have been committed and survived an assassination attempt himself in 2003, when he and two of his children were pursued by armed men in a car chase through Bulawayo.

A committed Christian and a human rights lawyer, he believes that peaceful reconciliation can be brought about through dialogue. “In the same way Peter Chingoka [the president of Zimbabwe Cricket] has been part of Zimbabwean cricket for three decades. He is well known in cricketing circles and is certainly well-liked by some cricket-playing nations. To that extent we can’t just ignore his presence. So the reconciliation that has taken place between the likes of Heath Streak and Grant Flower and Peter Chingoka does provide a model for the country at large.”

Of course Chingoka was never guilty of the kinds of crimes that have been committed in the name of Zanu-PF but he was widely accused of embezzling enormous amounts of money that should have been channelled into cricket. While Coltart suspected as much himself he has examined the accounts of Zimbabwe Cricket’s finances and is convinced that those accusations were untrue. The ICC has reached the same conclusion.

Now Coltart is desperate for more support from the England and Wales Cricket Board and Cricket Australia. At present it is not forthcoming. Scotland were due to tour Zimbabwe last winter and were keen to do so but were advised to pull out by the British government. Several county teams have also been told to withdraw from planned tours, as was an MCC fact-finding mission. Nick Compton, the Somerset batsman, spent the winter playing for the Mashonaland Eagles, one of the five new franchises set up by Zimbabwe Cricket. Like many of the people who have visited Zimbabwe recently, his opinion is clear.

“I think it’s pathetic,” Compton says. “I can’t understand it. I think it is a bureaucratic decision. I couldn’t think of a better place for a county side to go on a tour, or for English pros to go and further their game. But of course there is the spectre of Mugabe and that is what it stems from.”

“I supported the boycott against South Africa because white South African sport was so closely linked to the apartheid regime it was indistinguishable,” Coltart says. “Whereas you cannot say that about sportsmen and women in Zimbabwe.” He suggests that Zimbabwe have made a better job of integrating their cricket than has been done in South Africa. “Right up to the 1999 World Cup, two decades after independence, our team was predominantly white. Whilst the last 10 years have been very painful for us we can now say that cricket is a national sport. And so that has been the one benefit of these years of trauma.” Compton found that while there was still baggage and resentment among some of the older players, the younger generation of cricketers were learning that “the whole priority has to be about cricket. White, black, green, or purple, it doesn’t matter”.

Political violence and unrest is increasing in Zimbabwe. Coltart believes this is because hardliners within Zanu-PF are trying to stop the transition towards democracy. “Zimbabwe is in a similar point in its history to where South Africa was in the early 1990s,” he said. He draws a comparison with the assassination in 1993 of Chris Hani, leader of the South African Communist Party. There was also widespread rioting in KwaZulu-Natal and plots to derail the negotiations to end apartheid. “My point is that the West didn’t give up on that process despite the atrocities that took place in South Africa.”

He does not think that England and Australia should blindly switch from censuring Zimbabwe to supporting it but believes cricket tours would “boost those who have been calling for this non-violent transition to democracy,” as well as advancing reconciliation between those countries and Zimbabwe. “It is important that those people in Zimbabwe who are committed to seeing this transition through are encouraged and supported, through sports tours, through contact, through encouraging all the moderates in society. That’s what we ask of the West now.”

http://onehd.com.au/

19 February 2011

Zimbabwe wicketkeeper tiny Tatenda Taibu says the World Cup minnows aren’t afraid of anyone, especially Australia.

And despite the prospect of having Shaun Tait send down 155 km/h thunderbolts at their batsmen on Monday, the Zimbabweans can justifiably point out they’ve face bigger threats to life and limb.

“What we’ve decided to do is not target of be afraid of any teams, just give the best we can on any day,” Taibu told reporters in Ahmedabad as his side prepared for their opening match against Ricky Ponting’s defending world champions.

Ranked No.11 in one-day internationals and excluded from Test cricket since 2005 because of political turmoil under President Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe cricket has suffered enormous upheaval.

Things are certainly starting to look up, at least on the surface.

Taibu was named Test captain in 2004 following the resignation of Heath Streak. A year later, the wicketkeeper/batsman had quit Zimbabwe following a dispute between the players and the board.

Having received threats which he perceived to be from people linked with the board, he made noises in 2006 about trying to qualify to play for South Africa.

By 2007 he was back playing for Zimbabwe.

“If we’re really looking for (the improvement) of Zimbabwe cricket we have to all be in agreement,” Taibu says.

“I compare it to life in a family. You always have disagreements but if you can come back and sit at the table and discuss the way forward it’s the way to go.”

The imposing figure of Streak, whose father was imprisoned by Mugabe’s men in 2002 when he refused to surrender the family farm, has returned as bowling coach.

Grant Flower, whose career was cut short by internal politics, is back as batting coach.

Alistair Campbell, another former Zimbabwe skipper whose career ended prematurely, is chairman of selectors and recruited Streak back into the team structure.

Campbell had been approached in 2009 by unity government sports minister David Coltart. Campbell wanted a guarantee he’d be free to pick his teams on merit, not skin colour.

“I had to get the old guard back because there was no manpower left to coach the new generation,” Campbell said in The Australian newspaper on Saturday.

“So I had to make sure that they were coming back to the real deal.'”

Streak said he was initially sceptical, but ultimately it was about “keeping cricket alive in Zimbabwe”.

Flower wanted to know what was the role of Mugabe, the Zimbabwe cricket board patron.

He was told Mugabe had no involvement.

“I was OK by that. When I first asked my brother Andy (the England coach) about it, he told me to think about it and take my time, but the more he thought, the more he gave me his blessing,” Flower said.

Taibu, all 165cm of him, is confident Zimbabwe can have an impact in the World Cup and in Test cricket again.

He’s a livewire in the field and a crowd favourite.

“It’s something that you can’t really control, but wherever I go I seem to find favour with the crowds,” he says.

“I try to be bubbly and give the best that I can, but besides that I try to forget about myself and focus on encouraging the others guys whether we’re playing badly or playing well. “Because of that, I’ve always been seen as the Jack Russell type (after the retired England wicketkeeper), so to speak.

“I’ve always played well against the tougher opponents. The two (ODI) hundreds I’ve got were against South Africa, so I like tough opponents and quick bowling.

“I enjoy playing against Australia because they’re tough opponents and they won’t give you anything for free.

“It’s been hard staying away from Test cricket but we’re scheduled to start again this year so we’re really looking forward to that.

“I think we’re ready. If the first-class competition keeps developing the way it is the transition back into Test cricket won’t be as hard as we think it will be.”

Taibu, 27, says the players had a team meeting to establish a few rules regarding their World Cup campaign.

“We had a chat, just the players away from the coaching staff, and we asked ourselves ‘How bad do we really want it?’,” he said. “We’ve got some rules we said we’re going to abide by so that when we go back, be it that we haven’t qualified for the second round or that we’ve gone all the way to the semi-finals, we want to get back on the plane and know that we’ve left nothing to chance.”

Taibu says the influences of Streak, Flower and Campbell are significant.

“Where we faltered before is that we have guys that have really done well in international cricket and have gone away,” he said. “But to have the same guys coming back it helps a lot because they know the system back in Zimbabwe, know the players and have played plenty of international cricket.

“That information will really have an impact on the guys that are coming through.”