Fox News

2 June 2010

By Barry Moody

HARARE (Reuters) – Brazil’s Samba Boys brought joy to long-suffering Zimbabwe on Wednesday, causing euphoria on the streets despite inflicting defeat on the home side in a World Cup warm-up match.

Zimbabwe has been tormented by a decade of economic collapse, political crisis, violence and isolation and good news has been rare. The once buoyant tourism industry has collapsed.

Until this week its dream of some benefit — especially tourist revenue — from the World Cup in neighboring South Africa had been dashed.

Then Brazil, one of the favorites to win the biggest trophy in football, agreed to come to Harare for a match against the soccer minnows of this country, rated 110th in the world.

The joyful mood was scarcely punctuated by the 3-0 victory of Brazil. Zimbabwe pleased their fans by performing creditably until tiring in the second half.

Seats to the 60,000 capacity national stadium, refurbished recently by China, were said to be sold out, although there were empty spaces. Fans without tickets poured into the area and had to be held back by police at the gates.

Ticket prices, at $10 were triple the normal rate.

“Today is a momentous occasion for Zimbabweans. We never thought we would have an opportunity to see Brazilians locally,” said one spectator, Dean Chikukwa, a local staff manager.

“We are quite grateful that they decided to pass through this country. For some of us, given our age, this is probably our last opportunity to see Brazil live with our own eyes and not on TV,” he added.

“This is very special for Zimbabwe. This match raises our profile as a country and I am sure the Brazilians, when they go back, will be able to testify that this is a wonderful tourist destination and they will also agree we are hospitable people as a nation. I believe it will encourage more people to come,” Chikukwa said.

Another spectator, banker Felix Tanatswa told Reuters as he left the game with his wife and son: “It was brilliant. It shows all those who believe Zimbabwe is a country that should be separated from the rest of the world that it is actually a great country.”

A traffic jam built up on the road to the stadium, on the edge of the capital, more than two hours before the 3.30 P.M (1330 GMT) kick-off.

HALF-DAY HOLIDAY

Government offices and schools declared a half-day holiday to allow people to see the match, which local media suggested was a favor from Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to Zimbabwe’s leader Robert Mugabe, long ostracized in the West for what is seen as his brutal repression of political opposition and rigging of elections in 2008.

Tourism Minister Walter Muzembi said last week the game would be a major boost for Zimbabwe and that three companies, including a local unit of the world’s second largest platinum producer, Impala Platinum Holdings, had paid 70 percent of Brazil’s appearance fees. He gave no details of the amount.

The match was front page news in Zimbabwe’s newspapers, usually exclusively devoted to political and economic events.

Staff at Harare’s exclusive Meikles hotel said it was full for the first time since the 2008 elections.

A long political impasse after the disputed result of that poll was finally broken by the formation of a power-sharing government with the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) last year.

But Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party is still considered to hold real power in the country, with control of the police and army.

Even so Sports Minister David Coltart, from the MDC, told the BBC: “This is the biggest sporting event ever in Zimbabwe. It is a unique opportunity to rebrand Zimbabwe.”

Both Mugabe and power-sharing Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai arrived to greet the teams and watch the match just before kick-off, to cheers from the excited crowd.

The Zimbabwean fans adopted South Africa’s noisy vuvuzela trumpets, sounding them incessantly long before the match began and some wore Brazilian colors. In one corner of the stands Zimbabweans held up a banner reading “Welcome Brazil.”

(Editing by Marius Bosch and Kevin Fylan and Alison Wildey)

Herald

2 June 2010

By Petros Kausiyo, Sydney Kawadza and Innocent Ruw

World soccer heavyweights Brazil arrived in Harare last night for their high-profile international friendly against Zimbabwe’s Warriors at the National Sports Stadium this afternoon.

The Samba Boys touched down at the Harare International Airport to a welcome befitting of five-time world champions by senior Government officials, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority staff, Zifa representatives and a scores of football connoisseurs.

Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Walter Mzembi; his Education, Sports, Art and Culture counterpart David Coltart; Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment Minister Saviour Kasukuwere and the Minister of Information Communication Technology Nelson Chamisa led the colourful crowd that braved the chilly weather at the airport and waited patiently for more than an hour for the Samba Boys’ arrival.

Warriors skipper Benjani Mwaruwari – accompanied by team manager Sharrif Mussa and assistant coach Brenna Msiska – were on hand to welcome the Samba Boys.

Soccer fans and officials started trekking to the airport in the early hours of the evening, while some opted to wait at the Samba Boys’ base at the Rainbow Towers.

Brazil coach Dunga, who captained Brazil to World Cup glory in 1994, led the 23-man squad of stars from the plane to a rousing welcome.

The 126-member Brazilian delegation flew in from South Africa aboard a chartered flight for the encounter that has gripped the nation and attracted global attention.

Brazil are among the favourites to win the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup in South Africa that kicks off next week and are using the game against the Warriors as a tune-up for the football extravaganza.

Soon after their arrival, the team was whisked to their hotel amid tight security.

But that did not stop global icons like Kaka, Robinho, Elano, Lucio, Juan from taking time to take bow and wave to adoring fans.

The cheering crowd at Rainbow Towers went into frenzy when Benjani and Robinho – former teammates at English Premiership side Manchester City – hugged each other and conversed.

However, with security so tight, there was no chance for the fans including children, to get Kaka and company to sign autographs.

A few did manage to get closer to the Real Madrid midfielder – the second most expensive player ever – and get a handshake they undoubtedly will tell their own children about.

Rainbow Towers’ front office staff was clad in gold and green Brazil replica jerseys.

In an interview just before the Samba Boys’ arrival, Minister Mzembi said the imminent touch down of the world’s most decorated soccer team was one on the face of those who doubted Zimbabwe’s plans to market the country to the globe.

“The Samba Boys are in Zimbabwe to give the people a unique experience that can only be repeated in 2034, if we are lucky to be alive by then and will be repeated again in 2058 if we will be able to outlive 2034,” Minister Mzembi said.

This was in reference to the rotational system currently employed to ensure every continent hosts the Fifa World Cup, which will see Africa next entertaining the fiesta in 2034.

Minister Mzembi described the long journey and hard work behind setting up the match as one of “ups and downs”.

Minister Coltart added: “This is one of the most exciting sporting occasions that Zimbabwe has ever seen.

“This goes way beyond sport and it’s more about the importance of re-branding of the country.

“There is huge interest in this match and it gives the opportunity to portray Zimbabwe in a positive light.”

Benjani, who has recovered from a nagging knee problem to lead the Warriors in their biggest international assignment ever, said his troops were “excited about the match’’ and were geared to give their best this afternoon.

“We are here to welcome the Brazilians. We are taking this game seriously and the boys were really working hard (at training) and we are looking forward to come out with a win,’’ Benjani said.

The game kicks off at 3:30pm at the National Sports Stadium.

Guardian

By David Smith

2 June 2010

Despite criticisms of the cost, country enjoys a day of footballing spectacle in Harare

He will probably talk about it for decades, perhaps long after even Robert Mugabe is gone. Shaun Munemo had a day to remember today – the day Brazil came to play.

The six-year-old and his mother, Charity Munemo, 46, were among 60,000 people crammed into the national stadium in Harare for the biggest sporting event ever to hit Zimbabwe: a match against Brazil, the world’s greatest footballing nation. Zimbabwe came to a standstill as the unity government declared a half-day public holiday.

“It’s a big thing for the country,” said Munemo with her son at her side. “We never imagined it would happen. We feel humbled to have Brazil in our land. In every corner, every market, every shop, people are all speaking of this Brazil match. My son is very excited.”

Warming up for the imminent World Cup in neighbouring South Africa, Brazil put on a display of artistry in the beautiful game in a country that, judging by the enthusiasm of the crowd, has been starved of beauty for too long.

It was also a day of peculiar collisions, none more so than when Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai, Zimbabwe’s prime minister, strolled on to the pitch and competed with Kaka, millionaire star of Real Madrid and Brazil, for the crowd’s biggest cheer. Rarely had politics and sport danced such a curious tango.

Mugabe, 86, carrying the Zimbabwe flag, and his wife, Grace, in white hat and jacket, greeted the visiting players after a brass band played the national anthems. It remains to be seen if the Brazilians will face the same criticism as Prince Charles once did for shaking the presidential hand.

But two months after this Chinese-built stadium witnessed one of Africa’s most reviled leaders bask in pageantry marking his 30th year in power, it was the turn of the Samba Boys to whip up some rather more sincere adulation – and a chorus of vuvuzela horn blasts.Zimbabwe has become as synonymous with misery as Brazil is with football. Political violence and rigged elections, record hyperinflation and economic collapse, the erosion of civil liberties and human rights were an unsavoury backdrop to the strutting of football’s finest aristocrats.

The healing power of sport can be tritely eulogised, but for Mugabe the match did appear to represent a publicity coup, despite awkward questions over why a country dependent on food aid, with 94% unemployment, had spent a fortune on wooing a team of multimillionaires. The tourism minister, Walter Mzembi, denied reports that Zimbabwe had paid the Brazilian Football Federation $1.8m (£1.2m) after a year of negotiations. Other sources put the figure closer to $1m. Mzembi said 70% of the cost of the game was contributed by a mining company and mobile phone operator. The remaining 30% of the bill was paid by the Zimbabwean government’s tourism arm.

Judging by the feverish local reaction, the calculation appeared to have paid off. People walked for miles, paying from $10, triple the normal rate, to $60 for the best seats – or rather, the best positions on old-fashioned concrete terraces.

The big match was seemingly one thing that could unite Mugabe’s Zanu-PF and Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change. Sports Minister David Coltart, from the MDC, told the BBC: “This is the biggest sporting event ever in Zimbabwe. It is a unique opportunity to rebrand Zimbabwe.”

Others shared the sense of occasion. Clarence Wega, 29, an accountant who walked 5km to get a ticket, said: “I never imagined Brazil would come here. It’s great for the morale of the people. We need to forget our troubles and enjoy the moment. It’s a historic thing. The World Cup has felt far away but this brings it back home.” He added: “This is a bullseye for the government.”

Cuthbert Muwani, 30, selling ice-creams to the animated fans, said: “I never thought I would see the Brazilian team here in my life. The country has scored big bringing them here. It will be in the history books for years to come. Whether Zimbabwe lose 2-0 or 3-0, just playing Brazil is a win already.”

Despite Zimbabwe’s economic crisis, he defended the government’s hefty payment to Brazilian football. “It’s a good use of money because other countries, especially the west, were shunning this country. It improves our image. People will now say, ‘Ah, Brazil were in this country.'”

On the field, it was billed as one of football’s great mismatches. Brazil, five times world champions and ranked number one, against Zimbabwe’s “Warriors”, ranked 110th behind Rwanda, Tanzania and Azerbaijan. For these players, some of whom are based overseas, it was the biggest match of their lives.

And for the first 40 minutes it seemed possible Zimbabwe could pull off a coup beyond even Mugabe’s propaganda department. Ovidy Karuru missed an open goal in the 19th minute by shooting over the crossbar, unlikely to please the watching president.

Finally, Brazil woke up when Michel Bastos scored from a free kick, winger Robinho added a second from inside the penalty area in the 44th minute and midfielder Elano wrapped things up from close range after half-time. In the end it had been a pleasant afternoon stroll.

For Zimbabwe, the result didn’t really matter. “This is the best thing ever to happen to Zimbabwean football. I hope this is the beginning of many good things to come,” said Henrietta Rushwaya, head of the Zimbabwe Football Association.

But now they must come back down to earth against less illustrious opponents: Norman Mapeza, the team coach, said: “I must emphasise that we must not lose sight of the fact that we have a very important game again on Sunday against the Seychelles.”

Sunday Mail

30 May 2010

By F. Madaya

We greatly appreciate the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture’s efforts to reduce school fees in Government schools, but this should not end there.

Schools now demand huge levies from parents. The minister is the one who regulates the conduct of both Government and private schools in the country hence he should move a step further and regulate school fees and levies charged by all schools, including private schools.

For example, some private schools are charging as much as US$3 300 per child per term. For a school with an enrolment of 500, this comes to a staggering US$1 650 000.

It is amazing how schools, particularly private schools, manipulate their accounts to give a false picture of real expenditure. A false impression has been created that the fees charged would have been agreed upon at the so-called AGMs, but the truth is most parents find it unnecessary to argue against the fees that would have been presented by the schools’ boards because experience has shown that the school authorities will argue on technicalities that will see them maintain fees at the levels they want.

One can easily deduce a take-it-or leave-it attitude and this is the main reason why the minister should come in and rescue innocent Zimbabweans seeking to educate their children through available education systems within the country.

Parents are prepared to pay, but the fees should be reflective of the general level of prices of goods and services in the country. Not only that, the school fees should also be reflective of the general level of earnings in the country.

The school boards always argued that food was the most expensive component in the whole matrix of running a school. Now food prices have been coming down, so there should be a marked reduction in the food component of school fees.

In one of the daily newspapers, Minister David Coltart was quoted as saying that parents take their children to schools of their own choice hence they should abide by the terms and conditions of the schools, including the fees demanded.
I think that was an irresponsible statement by the minister and should be retracted. The impression he gives by such statements is that we have no regulations for our education system. Minister, remember the country’s charter says it is the right of every child to have access to education, implying that it is the minister’s job to ensure that the education environment is conducive for all Zimbabweans to send their children to school.
The minister should not give the impression that the education arena in Zimbabwe is a free-for-all market where people form trusts to amass wealth. Educating our children is not supposed to be a profit-making venture but a social responsibility.
This matter is very important and the Government, through the Minister of Education, should, at this important time in our life as a nation, make a policy announcement regarding school fees charged by both Government and private schools.
Cabinet must deliberate on this very important issue and come up with limits for school fees and levies for both Government and private schools.
Just as teachers can go on strike for their salaries, I think it is high time parents come together and refuse completely to pay unreasonable school fees until, and only until, Government intervenes.
F. Madaya — Harare.

Supersport.co.za

By Neil Manthorp

30 May 2010

Herald

29 May 2010

By Robson Sharuko

THE historic tour of world football powerhouse Brazil to Zimbabwe next week and the visit by the Indian and Sri Lanka cricket teams for the Micromax Tri-Series are more than just landmark sporting events and provide the country with a massive opportunity to push forward its battle to convince the globe that it is gradually taking firm steps in a trying journey back into the big time.

The Samba Boys, record five-time World Cup winners, are scheduled to arrive in Harare on Tuesday for a blockbuster one-off friendly international football tie against the Zimbabwe Warriors at the National Sports Stadium on Wednesday.

World cricket powerhouse India and Sri Lanka have sent their national teams — even without some of their star players like Sachin Tendulkar — for the Micromax Tri-Series One-Day International cricket tournament with the Indians also playing their hosts in a Twenty20 contest.

The Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, David Coltart, who is a keen cricket and football fan — who took time off his heavy schedule to cheer the Zimbabwe team in their opening ODI match against India at Queens yesterday — said the visit of the Asian cricket giants and the Brazil national football team were bigger events than just their sporting value.

The Zimbabwean cricketers successfully chased down a score of 285-5 by the Indians to win.

Brendan Taylor top-scoring for the hosts with his 81 in a man-of-the-match performance while Craig Ervine, on his debut, struck a brilliant half century to guide the home team to victory by six wickets.

The victory by the cricketers torched wild celebrations among their fans in this city and set the stage for what should be a carnival sporting fiesta for Zimbabwe that will culminate with the Brazilians — five-time World Champions –— taking on the Warriors in Harare next week.

Warriors captain Benjani Mwaruwari, back home here in Bulawayo from his base in England, also described the proposed visit by the Brazilians as a massive event that has the potential of changing the face of both the national team and domestic football forever.

“It’s a massive game for our country and it’s a privilege that we can not only be hosting a team like Brazil but also playing it and I believe that this will have a big impact on the game in our nation forever,’ said Benjani.

“I wouldn’t like to say a lot right now because I am yet to speak with the Warriors’ management and Zifa and everyone who has been involved in bring Brazilians and you know that a lot has changed in the team and the old coach has moved elsewhere.

“So once I talk to all of them and I am in a good picture to know what is on the ground then I can issue a full official comment but, as a Zimbabwean, I’m thrilled that we have this grand opportunity to host Brazil and we should make the best out of it because it won’t come again in our lives.” Benjani said.

Coltart also hailed the proposed visit by the Brazilians and the tour of the Asian heavyweights.

“I congratulate Walter Mzembi (the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry) and all his officials in his ministry who have made it all possible for the Brazilian football team to come here and play a friendly match ahead of the World Cup,” said Coltart.

“It’s not just a sporting event. It’s more than that and it just falls in the same bracket as the initiative that I have been talking about of using sport as a medium to show the world the efforts we are taking to stabilise the country.

“When Brazil come to Harare on Wednesday, the whole world would be watching us and they can see the revamped National Sports Stadium and it will see that we also have the capacity to host a team like Brazil successfully.

“We don’t have the millions of dollars, as a country right now, needed to run advertising campaigns and buy column centimeters in the international media to show the world that we are moving in the right direction.

“But the beauty of it all is that through sport, we can do it and that is why the visit by the Brazilians and the tour of India and Sri Lanka are important in the wider national context of our nation.”

Coltart said while hosting Brazil was a big achievement for Zimbabwe, beating them would even be sweeter.

“I also hope that our national football team plays well against one of the best football sides in the world,” said Coltart.

“But as I said before what is important, given where we are coming from the challenges that made our country a bad brand around the world, what is important is just being able to show the world that we have the capacity to host such big events in a peaceful and efficient manner.

“The event today (the cricket match between Zimbabwe and India) is also being beamed across the entire world and they are seeing the Indian team playing at a very peaceful venue in a game that has been well organised.

“This paints a very good picture of Zimbabwe and that is why I have always said that sport plays a very critical role in the rebranding of Zimbabwe.

“Having top-rated nations like India and Sri Lanka here is also important and although they left some of their best players they still brought competitive teams.”

Coltart disclosed that he was disappointed that his spirited efforts to convince the Black Caps of New Zealand to tour the country failed but was optimistic that domestic cricket, just like many other facets of the nation, was taking a turn for the better.

“It was disappointing that New Zealand didn’t tour but we have established contacts  with other cricketing  nations and I have had fruitful discussions with both the ambassadors of Australia and Britain with a view to getting their countries to start the re-engagement process in as far as our national cricket teams are concerned.

“I will also shortly be traveling to Australia and New Zealand to continue  those discussions so that in the end we get our national team playing all the big teams again.

“Our national cricket team is being rebuilt and, while we have not yet reached the standards we set around 1999, we are moving on well and the players, who had turned their back on the game, are back. There is hope now.”

Herald

29 May 2010

Herald Reporter

NOVEMBER public examination registration ended yesterday with Government reiterating there would be no reprieve for those who failed to pay on time.

Registration for Ordinary and Advanced level exam papers is US$10 and US$20 respectively.

There are fears that thousands of prospective candidates failed to beat the deadline and the situation could be the same as last year.

In 2009, tens of thousands of students did not sit for their public exams.

Yesterday, Education, Sports, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart said: “Government’s position is that the deadline remains unchanged. There are administrative issues the examination body has to attend to for the whole process to sail through smoothly. Parents and guardians had enough time to plan and register after examination fees were announced early.”

Minister Coltart said only candidates from impoverished families would be allowed to apply for State assistance.

“We understand there are some students from poor backgrounds especially those in rural areas and to them this is not the end of the matter as they can always apply for Government assistance.”

He said they could apply through the Basic Education Assistance Module.

Indications are that many rural schools had registration figures as poor as last year’s. At Marikopo Secondary School in Seke, 34 students out of a possible 69 registered while 29 out of 89 registered at Kandava Secondary School in the same area.

Just 15 out of 50 registered at Mpofu Secondary School in Mberengwa while at Jonasi Secondary School in Mashonaland East, 40 out of 80 had paid.

In some cases, students registered for less than the minimum five subjects that Zimsec set as the standard.

Urban schools, however, recorded an increase in the number of pupils registering for the examinations compared to previous years.

Schools such as Tafara, Kuwadzana 2, Harare and Glen Norah high schools noted increases.

Parents, students and teachers unions appealed to Government to extend the deadline to allow more students to register.

Teachers Union of Zimbabwe chief executive officer Mr Manuel Nyawo said: “We are worried because education is every child’s right.

“Government should realise that even us teachers are failing to pay for our students because of our meager salaries.

“This gap between the rich and the poor should be closed unless this State is a capitalistic one.”

Zimbabwe Teachers Association executive officer Mr Sifiso Ndlovu said Government should find mechanisms to enable all students to write examinations.

“It is unfortunate that many failed to register but Government must find a solution, which does not make education a preserve of the elite,” he said.

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe president, Mr Takavafira Zhou added: “If the nation is serious with its education sector, it must not allow such a scenario.

“It is prudent for Government to find ways to accommodate those students.”

The Age

Peter  Roebuck

May 28, 2010

Not for a second should the cricket boards of Australia and New Zealand succumb to the reprehensible campaign under way behind the scenes at the International Cricket Council to block John Howard’s nomination as deputy president of the game’s governing body.

Although this writer preferred Sir John Anderson, the seasoned candidate from across the ditch, Howard was legitimately put forward by the boards of the two countries.

Under the customs of the ICC the other directors were duty bound to accept him. Instead they have worked themselves into a fluster of fake indignation. In reality they are scared of Howard. After all, he might call them to account.

There are plenty of reasons to object to the former prime minister, none to block his path.

Make no mistake, the case against Howard is as dishonest as it is inconsistent. A board that welcomed Percy Sonn, who declared the 2003 Zimbabwe election free and fair though he knew it was a lie, thereby condemning Zimbabweans to years of torment; a board that accepted Ray Mali, whose co-operation with the apartheid government was exposed by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission; a board that listens to Peter Chingoka and Ozias Bute is poorly placed to turn its back on Jack the Ripper, let alone a former PM and cricket fanatic.

The cricket boards of India, South Africa and Zimbabwe are leading the campaign to prevent the antipodean nominee taking up his position. Their reasons are different and mostly false. India says that it does not want another politician to become involved in the game, let alone one as contentious as Howard. India’s real reason is that they fear Howard’s strength and skills and resent his high-handed conduct in the ongoing debate about uranium exports. After decades watching the West run the game, they intend to retain complete control. No less pertinently, they have always been backed by the Zimbabweans and now return the favour.

South Africa is supposedly offended by Howard’s crass position on the sporting boycott of the apartheid regime. In the past 40 years cricket has endured two particularly detestable tyrannies: apartheid and Zanu-PF. Only a few observers, including your correspondent, consistently condemned both. Howard argued against boycotting Bothaland, but cancelled a tour to Mugabeland. It was bound to cause friction. At least, though, he’s right about the evil of the day, and that cannot be said of these opponents. He may have failed the apartheid test, but it’s high time ICC directors passed the Zanu-PF test.

In any case, apartheid died almost 20 years ago, and the ANC has given cabinet positions to members of the former National Party. In fact, Cricket South Africa is merely appeasing its pals across the Limpopo. Presumably Mtutuzeli Nyoka, CSA’s affable chairman, has forgotten that the greatest rogues can have the sweetest tongues.

Predictably, the Zimbabweans are the main culprits. Chingoka, Zimbabwe Cricket’s long-standing chairman, wields an influence far in excess of his calibre. A charming and ruthless man, he knows that Howard has his number and fears the repercussions. He might even try to obtain the reports into fraud at ZC produced by local detectives. Like his paymasters, Chingoka and Bute have a lot to lose and so will stop at nothing to retain power. Right now that means blocking Howard.

Admittedly ZC has in recent months taken steps to clean up its act, organising franchises, invigorating schools coaching, employing past players. The causes have been numerous, not least the ameliorating influence of Cricket South Africa, the emergence of a so-called unity government and, especially, the telling appointment of David Coltart, a man of integrity, as Sports Minister. Alas, one of the franchises has been put in the hands of a reprobate who once publicly called the Australians ”cheats and f—ing convicts”.

But none of this matters. The overriding fact is Howard was properly chosen by the responsible boards and the ICC is duty bound to accept him. Anything else flies in the face of the very rules introduced precisely to stop these sorts of disputes arising, let alone escalating.

Howard’s nomination may have been insensitive, even provocative, but it was legitimate. The conduct of the South African, Indian and Zimbabwe cricket boards shows them in the worst possible light.

Peter Roebuck is an Age cricket commentator.

Herald

By Robson Sharuko in Bulawayo

28 May 2010

TO the casual observer the Micromax Trophy Tri-Series, which gets underway here at Queens this morning with Zimbabwe hosting India, is just another low-key cricket contest featuring a host nation trying to find a way back into the elite on the globe and two visiting opponents who have left their stars back home.

After all, the batting genius that the world calls a cricket god, Sachin Tendulkar, will not open the innings for the Indians today and, whenever that happens in a case where the absence is not injury-forced, the cricket family has a right to ask questions.

When that Indian team also doesn’t feature its regular skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, pace spearhead Zaheer Khan, experienced spinner Harbhajan Singh and a battery of other players who have become the face of this team in the past few years, it’s natural that it takes some gloss off the side.

In some way it also has a bearing on the profile of the contest.

But then, to dismiss this tournament as another low-key event on the pregnant calendar of the world’s ultimate game of gentlemen and women, would not only be wrong but a myopic view divorced from the realities on the ground that should be key in guiding opinions.

To try and pretend that all has been well in Zimbabwe Cricket that the arrival of representative teams from India and Sri Lanka should not be cause for celebrations — especially on the home front — would be stretching the imagination too far.

Yes, Tendulkar — who gave the cricketing world a reason to smile with that incredible knock that destroyed Charles Coventry’s highest ODI score by an individual in the world — is not here and that matters for those who enjoy his class and who look to him to provide another knock for the archives.

But for Zimbabwe Cricket, given all the trials and tribulations of the past few years, the presence of an Indian team — no matter the composition — to play in an ODI series sponsored by an Indian Telecommunications Company, is a major victory.

Why?

Because this is the country that the New Zealanders, who were supposed to have been touring here at around this time, said was not a safe place to visit because the health of their players wouldn’t be guaranteed in a country they claimed was reeling from a string of horrible diseases.

Even when the assurances came that the cholera epidemic had long been contained and the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture David Coltart was prepared to fly to Auckland to present the evidence, the Black Caps still found a reason to stay away.

At the height of the problems that were plaguing Zimbabwe Cricket, even South Africa decided to cut ties with the domestic game.

Now, without the money that comes from hosting touring sides, the competition that comes from playing established sides, chances are that any national cricket structure —no matter how strong — will eventually collapse.

That is why, even though the big names are missing from this tour, there is every reason why the Micromax Tri-Series should be a celebration, rather than purely an examination, of the state of Zimbabwe cricket.

When stand-in Indian skipper Suresh Raina and his Sri Lanka counterpart Tillakaratne Dilshan shared the podium with Zimbabwean captain Elton Chigumbura in a news conference here yesterday, that picture was worth more than a thousand words because it meant far more than just a media briefing.

When millions of Indians, who follow their cricket religiously, open the newspapers today and see Raina talking to the media in Zimbabwe, it will mean much more than the words that they would be reading.

It will mean that, contrary to what the Black Caps of New Zealand claimed to find a way of staying away and, in the process, squeezing life out of Zimbabwe cricket, there is still a working structure here that can enable touring teams to play the game in the best conditions possible.

Even Cricinfo, the authoritative cricket website, appears to agree that the mere fact that this tournament has gone ahead here, rather than the identity of the players in the Indian and Sri Lanka teams, is a major victory in Zimbabwe Cricket’s battle for a return to where it used to belong among the elite nations.

“By no means is this Tri-Series top-flight international cricket — it features two other teams (India and Sri Lanka) who should now be sick of playing each other, that are also too massively under par because of rested players,” said Cricinfo.

“Nonetheless, it’s being played in Zimbabwe, and that should be cause for celebration.”

Even the SuperSport crew have come from across the Limpopo and Pommie Mbangwa, who has become the face of the game’s presentation on that pay-per-view television channel after replacing Mike Haysman, has returned to his hometown for a close analysis of how far the team that he used to play for has gone in terms of its resurgence.

It’s the spin-off benefits that come from convincing the world that it’s not very safe for international teams to play cricket here that are more important, in the long-term interests of the domestic game, than the results that will come from what happens on the field.

Of course, cricket needs a fan base, as much as it needs a good player base and a battery of sponsors, for it to thrive and the people of the City of Kings need to set the tempo — beginning from this morning — to show the world that the game they thought was dying here is slowly regaining consciousness.

The fans, though, also want a winning team.

That responsibility falls on the shoulders of new skipper Chigumbura and his battalion who — on their day — can be good enough to play the best in the world in limited overs cricket but, sadly, haven’t found the mental strength to carry their form long enough for it to become an identity of their game.

The hard-hitting all-rounder took over as captain after Prosper Utseya finally called time on his term as skipper following the team’s Twenty20 World Cup Caribbean adventure where they flattered only to deceive in the Guyana rain.

“I feel honoured to have been promoted to captain my country and I’m looking forward to the challenge and hoping to make a difference with my captaincy,” he said.

“We need to start winning games. We are capable of winning games and we have done it in the past. We are playing a home and I think we have a good chance of making an impact during this Tri-Series.

“Our players have played more games now than some of the other cricketers that we will come up against and we cannot go on blaming experience anymore.”

Chigumbura’s promotion to the captaincy might have been doubtful just a month ago when new coach Alan Butcher questioned his late arrival at a training camp in the Caribbean and demanded answers.

But that is now all forgotten and the Englishman, who has been tasked to change the fortunes of Zimbabwe cricket at a time when a Zimbabwean Andy Flower is coaching the English team, is confident that the stage has been set for the domestic game to find its feet and compete with the best again.

During the tour of the Caribbean, on those low and slow pitches, the Zimbabweans could trouble their opponents, including an Australian team that ultimately reached the final, and a Pakistan side unlucky to lose in the semi-finals of the Twenty20 World Cup, with their variety of spinners.

On the tracks back home, starting at Queens today, where the wickets are likely to offer bounce and suit the pace bowlers more than what happened in their Caribbean adventure, they need more than the spinners and the lack of genuine pace to keep the pressure in this Zimbabwean team has been a cause for concern.

Chris Mpofu is useful, on his day, but it’s the consistency that is lacking.

Andy Blignaut, back on his home turf and with his focus back on his national duty, might remember that day when he took on the might of the Aussies here at Queens during a World Cup game and his bat gave the home fans reason to believe before Brett Lee and company destroyed those hopes.

His all-round abilities bring substance to this Zimbabwean team although, after a long lay-off from the trenches of the game at this level, it would be difficult for him to quickly ease into the groove. The runs should be guaranteed, on our day, from opener Hamilton Masakadza, Tatenda Taibu, Brendan Taylor, Vusi Sibanda, right down the order but, as Chigumbura rightly says, the key is producing the good performance when it matters and on regular occasions.

There is a very good chance that these battles will be close but, with the administrators having won a big boardroom battle by just making sure that the Indians and the Sri Lankans toured this country, the challenge is now on the coach and his players to also win their battle on the pitch.