The Independent article dated September 9, under the banner: “The Money Zim’s Cricketers Are Refusing” is misleading, irresponsible and inaccurate. It is unhelpful to cricket in Zimbabwe and internationally. Zimbabwe’s professional cricketers have asked me to respond to this irresponsible reportage on their behalf, as they are in the middle of the VideoCon ODI Triangular series and Croco Motors Test Series against India. Sensationalist reporting of their performance pay – stating they receive “over $500 million for a Test win”- is false, poorly timed and counter-productive to Zimbabwe’s performance, both as individuals and a team.We are involved in delicate contract negotiations with the ZC, and are not comfortable now having to respond in the Press. Our position as players is that our involvement with cricket should be concerned with events on the pitch, not those off it, but irresponsible media stories which misrepresent the facts and the events have reluctantly forced our hand.The ZPCA wish to place on record the following facts at the outset:-1.No cricketer representing Zimbabwe in the above program of international cricket is contracted by Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC). All 2004-05 National Cricket Contracts expired on August 31, 2005.

2.ZC purported to impose a one-month extension of the 2004-05 National Contracts by writing individual letters to what ZC termed those players involved on the “current tours”, and indicated to them that new contracts would be offered from October 1, 2005. This was rejected by the players because no reasons were given for the extension. In law, extensions amount to a material variation of any existing contract, so prior consent is required from both parties because any contract is a binding consensual agreement. It follows that variation/s cannot be imposed by either party without prior agreement. In this case, consent was not sought by ZC, who simply imposed the extension.

3.ZC has subsequently undertaken to supply new contracts on September 14, backdated to September 1, 2005. (September 14 falls during the 1st Test against India.)

4.On September 1, ZC unveiled their Player Contracts Structure for the 2005-06 season, in terms of which they indicated in writing their intention to offer 12-month time-specific National Contracts to three players – Taibu, Streak and Blignaut – and 27 Level One Contracts. They also named eight Apprenticeships, to be attached to and paid by companies. Retainers on the 27 Level One Contracts (“monthly retainer”) were set at $20 million per month gross across the board (i.e. there was no provision made within Level One for differentiation based on seniority or experience.) Retainers on the three National Contracts would be separately negotiated by ZC with the three individuals concerned, and the eight apprentices would be paid by companies employing them, subject to stipulation that ZC could call up any apprentice/s for national duty.

5.ZC refused a request by ZPCA to inflation-proof monthly retainers. The players had suggested “indexing” of retainers because Zimbabwe is suffering from hyperinflation and the contracts are for 12 months. Thus we requested that ZC link retainers to an agreed currency mechanism (i.e. equate the retainer to a “hard currency” and then use the Reserve Bank Official Auction Rate to track movements monthly and adjust the retainer in line with any change in the Auction rate.) ZC refused.

6.The ZC announced details of Match Fees and Incentive Performance payments for national matches, based on individual performance ie personal runs, wickets and catches.

7.On September 2, ZC advised our Player Representative in writing that they had reversed their intent to offer contracts to three players on the list of 27 – Stuart Carlisle, Barney Rogers and Neil Ferreira. They withdrew those offers without providing reasons. The players were told this on the eve of Zimbabwe’s ODI v India. We agreed to continue with that match despite grave concerns, and asked ZPCA to write to ZC seeking urgent clarification for their action. No written response from ZC has been forthcoming. One player, Craig Wishart (who had been offered a Level One Contact) advised the National Coach, Kevin Curren, that he could not continue playing cricket because of this unfair treatment of other players by ZC.Summary
For the record, this represents the current “state of play”. In summary:

Scorecard

There was a distinct end-of-term feeling in the air at The Rose Bowl as Hampshire reached 424 for 4, on the first day of their match against the champions Nottinghamshire. A big hundred from John Crawley on his 34th birthday was the centrepiece of a solid Hampshire performance, but with the title already won, Nottinghamshire rested a few frontline players, and those that took to the field looked well below par – a total of 62 extras told its own story.A few weeks ago, this match appeared to offer a mouthwatering finale to the summer. It was potentially a championship decider; billed as the showdown between Shane Warne and Kevin Pietersen, it also gave Pietersen the chance to get one over on the county he left last autumn on less than happy terms. But Nottinghamshire wrapped up the competition at Canterbury last weekend and, although Warne was in the Hampshire XI, Pietersen was not, instead placed in mothballs by the ECB.All that was at stake was Hampshire’s bid for second place, but a small and quiet crowd indicated that was not really much to get out of bed for. Nottinghamshire huffed and puffed but rarely got out of second gear, and while Crawley made an unbeaten 150, it was not one of his finest innings. He struggled for most of the first two sessions, and was put down by Darren Bicknell at gully off an oh-so-routine chance when on 28. He timed few shots, and although the drive which brought up his fifty was sublime, it highlighted his general difficulty. To his credit, he continued to battle and after tea finally began to open up and show the class act he remains.Nottinghamshire, who won the toss and stuck Hampshire in under a leaden sky, struck early when Andy Harris bowled Sean Ervine for 9. But their bowlers lacked consistency, failing to exploit the early moisture in the pitch and offering both James Adams and Simon Katich enough width for them to brutally and repeatedly milk the square cover boundary. There was one more success before lunch. Adams, who had more than compensated for the pedestrian Crawley, gifted his wicket to the persevering Graeme Swann the ball after reaching 50, driving to Jason Gallian at short extra-cover. Two balls later, Swann dropped a caught-and-bowled chance low to his right before Katich had scored. It was an expensive spill.

Katich wasted no time in capitalising, surviving an even easier fumble by substitute Mark Hussey at second slip, before being strangled for 53 down the leg side by 19-year-old Mark Footitt. Footitt, who struggled with his run-up and also persistent no-balling, showed enough fire to leave the impression he is a bowler worth watching, as his inclusion in this winter’s National Academy demonstrates.Paul Franks is another who was one talked of in such terms, but who has had a lean time of late. He took one wicket – Jono MacLean caught by Stephen Fleming at first slip for a breezy 67 – and produced some testing deliveries. But in between, he was plagued by no-balls and also picked up an official warning for running down the wicket – something that would have caused more concern to his own batsmen than the umpire, given that Hampshire have both Warne and Shaun Udal in their ranks. Franks’s body language showed that he was ill at ease, as did the expletive which echoed round the empty stands when no-balled for the umpteenth time.Crawley and Nic Pothas scored at will in the final hour, and Nottinghamshire will have to crank up their act for the remainder of the match if their memorable season is not to end with a thoroughly forgettable performance.

Bennett King, the West Indies coach, defended his cricketers against claims by Michael Holding, former fast bowling great, of an attitude problem, just days before the opening Test against Australia.Holding has criticised the current touring party, accusing the squad of not focusing on cricket and on representing the West Indies. He said the attitude problem would lead to the Caribbean tourists being demolished in all three Tests against Australia. The West Indies have not won a Test in Australia since February 1997.Holding said, “I’m concerned about their general focus. They aren’t focused on their game enough, they aren’t focused on representing the Windies enough.”Holding, in Australia as a television commentator on the series, pointed to the disciplining of fast bowler Tino Best last week over a training incident as an example of the lax attitude within the squad.But King stood up for his players and questioned Holding’s knowledge of the contemporary Windies squad.”He’s not privy to the group now I don’t think,” King told a lunch. “The group actually works really hard and I think publicly they’re getting more acceptance.”The more things they do right publicly, I think the better they’ll be accepted as well.”King, who came to the West Indies job last year after coaching stints with Queensland and the Australian Cricket Academy, said his squad was happy, competitive and dedicated.”I think you’ll see a change in their fortunes sometime, but certainly it’s quite young in their development.”The West Indies had the better of Queensland in their four-day warm-up match ahead of Thursday’s Test with the Queenslanders having to scramble to get a draw after the tourists amassed 612 in their only innings.King said Marlon Samuels had improved his Test selection chances by scoring a first-innings double century and taking five wickets with his off-spinners. Wavell Hinds will definitely miss the Brisbane Test with a broken finger, opening up the opportunity for Samuels.King said he expected key batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan to overcome a knee injury while Daren Powell and batting superstar Brian Lara, both suffering various niggles, would also be fit to play.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out</a

South Africa’s faster men began with a bang, rattling the Indian top order with seam, pace and bounce, before their batsmen strung together vital partnerships, held their nerve and wrapped up an absorbing opening game of the five-match series at Hyderabad. In a match that turned on several pivots, Yuvraj Singh produced a glorious century and India showed their steel by battling back whenever they fell behind, but ultimately, the happenings in the first hour of the game helped South Africa seal the five-wicket win.With the pitch easing up as the day wore on, South Africa were always the favourites to get to a target of 250. Graeme Smith kickstarted the chase before the pluck of Ashwell Prince, the experience of Jacques Kallis and the power of Justin Kemp took over. India snapped up wickets at regular intervals, set attacking fields throughout and didn’t give in easily but when you are undefeated for 19 games in a row, you certainly know how to win the close ones.In a new series, against different opponents, in a stadium hosting its first international game, it was India who appeared to be the visiting side as South Africa’s faster bowlers delivered a masterful lesson in new-ball bowling methods. Shaun Pollock’s precise length combined beautifully with Makhaya Ntini’s pace and Andre Nel’s zing and they justified Smith’s decision to field first on a pitch that offered both seam movement and bounce.Ntini struck in his very first ball of the series – Virender Sehwag lashed hard at one that was dug in but Prince, at backward point, intercepted it with an acrobatic dive to his left, latching on while he was still airborne. Pollock then nailed Mohammad Kaif with one that jagged back a shade and went on to strike the lethal blow in his next over when he got Sachin Tendulkar to push at one that was full and slightly wide with the umpire upholding the appeal despite considerable doubt. Rahul Dravid and Gautam Gambhir, the Supersub who came in place of Murali Kartik, fell soon and India were reeling at 35 for 5, the hangover of the 6-1 mauling against Sri Lanka was receding rapidly and the Vishaka Stadium was slowly resembling Centurion Park.Enter Yuvraj and counterpunch followed counterpunch, the most thrilling one being the exhilarating pulled six off Ntini. There was stunning bat speed, glorious drives with pendulum-like follow through, and there was awesome power. Once the intent had been stated, he shifted to a lower gear. Help arrived in the form of Irfan Pathan and the duo went about repairing the damage. Yuvraj preferred to push the ball around rather than give it the mighty thump. Nothing came easy in the middle overs and it was a case of biding one’s time and waiting for the right moment to accelerate.Once the 35th over had passed, Yuvraj began to open out with a few bold strokes and he laid into Kallis in the 38th with a splendid six over long-on. Hurrying between the wickets and stealing singles at the slightest opportunity, he ensured that the score was being pushed along even when the mighty hits weren’t being produced. He reached his hundred in style – a massive six over long-on was followed by a savage cut to the point fence – and though he fell soon, Harbhajan Singh, picked up the baton wonderfully. He swiped four fours and two sixes towards the end and ended the innings on a thrilling note.

Until today, Smith averaged 2.33 in the four previous games against India but he quickly went about making amends by bludgeoning the new-ball attack that was bordering on the erratic. Irfan Pathan’s inconsistent line was punished with seven fours as Smith scattered him to various corners of the park, producing his characteristic punched flicks, punched cuts and punched drives.But a double strike, when Justin Ontong and Smith departed in successive deliveries, brought India back into the contest. RP Singh continued the fine form that he had shown against Sri Lanka and despite spraying around seven wides, he was particularly impressive against the left-handers and often got the ball to bounce awkwardly. Along with Harbhajan, he helped India claw their way back into the game as South Africa’s run-rate considerably slowed down in the middle overs.Prince changed that with a sensible approach, milking the spinners in the middle overs and stitching together a fine partnership with Kallis. And despite Prince falling with 85 still needed, and Mark Boucher following him soon, Kallis piloted the innings with assurance and Kemp motored them towards the finish line with biff and blast. Adding 84 in less than 15 overs, the two handled the spinners with ease, rode their luck against the medium-pacers and capitalised on the attacking fields that were set. Despite the stutters, the victory came with a sense of inevitability and India will travel to Bangalore knowing how tough it is to beat a team when they’re on a roll. Just as Sri Lanka.

India
Virender Sehwag c Prince b Ntini 1 (1 for 1)
Mohammad Kaif lbw b Pollock 1 (4 for 2)
Sachin Tendulkar c Boucher b Pollock 3 (5 for 3)
Rahul Dravid b Nel 8 (34 for 4)
Gautam Gambhir c Boucher b Ntini 1 (35 for 5)
Irfan Pathan b Botha 46 (110 for 6)
Mahendra Singh Dhoni run-out (Nel/Boucher) 17 (159 for 7)
Ajit Agarkar c Kemp b Nel 21 (198 for 8)
Yuvraj Singh run-out (Kallis) 103 (227 for 9)
South AfricaAB de Villiers lbw b Agarkar 7 (32 for 1)
Justin Ontong c Dravid b Agarkar 11 (76 for 2)
Graeme Smith b RP Singh 48 (76 for 3)
Ashwell Prince c Sehwag b Harbhajan 46 (165 for 4)
Boucher c Dravid b Tendulkar 2 (168 for 5)

Peter Chingoka, the embattled Zimbabwe Cricket chairman, has come out fighting in an interview with the Herald newspaper.Chingoka again trod the familiar line that all is well with the operations of ZC. When asked whether he was prepared to agree to a forensic audit, he replied that: “We have no problem with a forensic audit and are ready to provide for it, with board approval for this expenditure.” But he again insisted the accounts had been approved and unanimously adopted at the AGM.Asked about the meetings called by Ahmed Ebrahim, Chingoka said that there was “nothing in the ZC constitution that prevents people from getting together to discuss cricket and cricket issues. Should they feel strongly about what they would have discussed they then channel this into the normal ZC processes, which is to say the board, Annual General Meeting and the Special General Meeting.”And Chingoka took a swipe at Ebrahim himself. “He [Ebrahim] also echoed the concerns of the provincial chairmen and the players, which we found surprising considering that he is collectively bound by virtue of his being a ZC board member as, indeed, are some of the provincial chairmen.”As for the meetings on Monday and Wednesday, Chingoka said that he and Ozias Bvute were not invited on Monday, although Ebrahim claimed he had tried to do so. “I was only invited to the Wednesday meeting by Ebrahim less than two hours before the meeting when I phoned him to tell him that the crisis against which they intended to hold the meeting was no longer there because I had been released.”Chingoka also brushed aside the protests by the players, almost all of who have refused to represent Zimbabwe while he and Bvute remain in power.”We do not see this as the battle for the players. After successfully negotiating for them, the players have their contracts now. Some have signed them while others are still to. Because they got the conditions they asked for, we expect them to sign too.” Asked if he would step down, he replied: “No-one is bigger than the game. However, my stepping down can only be for the good of the game if my staying on is not good for the game.”And he appeared to take solace from the non-interventionalist approach of the ICC. “You have their position on record as announced by the president, Ehsan Mani.”While there is no doubting the credentials of the interviewer, the Herald coverage of the crisis has been remarkable in its one-sidedness, and the Q&A needs to be viewed with that in mind. Moves against the board have been virtually ignored, while those opposing the Chingoka regime have often been portrayed as politically or racially motivated.Critics of Chingoka would point to the questions that were not raised, in particular relating to the apparent gaping holes in the accounts, where much of ZC’s income has gone, and why the players have been so critical of himself and Bvute and the way they have run Zimbabwe Cricket.

South Africans 8 for 205 (50 overs, Dippenaar 83, Rudolph 50, Johnson 3-33) beat Queensland 111 (Bichel 37, Kruger 3-18, Pollock 3-22) by 94 runs
Scorecard

A day after their Twenty20 thrashing, South Africa warmed up for the VB Series with a resounding 94-run win against Queensland at The Gabba. The South Africa seamers tore the home side’s batting to shreds with Garnett Kruger emerging as the surprise package by snaffling three scalps.Kruger may not have been in the squad if Makhaya Ntini had been fit but, after his 3 for 18, he has now pushed himself forward for a starting place in South Africa’s first game, against Australia on Sunday.Graeme Smith indicated that Kruger and Monde Zondeki would get opportunities throughout the VB Series: “They’re young boys but they’ve been around a while in domestic cricket,” he said. “They’ll get an opportunity during the VB series and tonight’s a good start for them.”Kruger started the Queensland slide by removing Jimmy Maher in the second over and, with Shaun Pollock also wading in with three wickets, the run chase was soon in tatters at 6 for 28. Zondeki then chipped in with two wickets in his first over and at 8 for 50, Matthew Hayden’s 16 was threatening to be the highest score of the innings.Andy Bichel and Nathan Hauritz at least carried Queensland into three figures with a ninth wicket stand of 50, before Johan Botha and Jacques Kallis wrapped up the win. However, even the efficient display in the field couldn’t hide another batting effort that was far from convincing.The South African top order struggled against the international-class attack of Bichel, Mitchell Johnson and Michael Kasprowicz. Smith again fell early when he hooked to square-leg, with his form now a growing issue, and he was quickly followed by Hershelle Gibbs and Kallis, leaving Smith to admit there was plenty of room for improvement. “There are some things to work on because the big games are coming up.”Boeta Dippenaar and Jacques Rudolph did show some form as they rebuilt with a watchful stand of 88 in 20 overs. Johnson continued to bounce back from his omission from Australia’s VB Series squad by removing Mark Boucher and Pollock in two balls, leaving Andrew Hall to boost the total with a run-a-ball 29.There is improving news for South Africa on the injury front with Andre Nel (foot), Justin Kemp (shoulder) and Ashwell Prince (thigh) all expected to be fit for the next warm-up match on Friday after being rested for this match.

Australia’s selectors have no plans to drop Adam Gilchrist to No. 7 when he returns from a week off. Trevor Hohns denied on Sydney radio last night a report in the that said Australia’s wicketkeeper would be demoted for Thursday’s match against Sri Lanka at Adelaide.Ricky Ponting also defended his out-of-form team-mate, who has been rested for two VB Series matches. “He’ll go back into the opening position,” Ponting told . “I just love having Gilly at the top of the order in my side. Looking back over the years he has won us so many games. Even if he makes only 30 or 40 he generally gets them pretty quickly.”He really gets the momentum of games going in our favour. He is really important for us at the top of the innings. I would love for him to play the rest of his one-day cricket there.”Gilchrist has been struggling for runs in both forms of the game and concerns have been raised that wicketkeeping and opening the batting have taken their toll. “Gilly is just going through one of those trots at the moment as a batsman that everyone goes through,” Ponting said. “It’s just taken Gilly a lot longer than most to go through it at international level.”

John Buchanan, the Australia coach, says he will retire after next year’s World Cup in the West Indies.”That’s what Cricket Australia and I have agreed to at this point,” he told . “If Cricket Australia felt as though I was still needed, I’d consider that. But basically I’m contracted till the end of the World Cup. I think that will be a good time to quit.”Buchanan, 52, took over the coach’s role from Geoff Marsh after the 1999 World Cup and guided Australia to another title in 2003. He said that his decision to quit after the 2007 World Cup would provide Cricket Australia enough time to look for a replacement. “There will be a small break after the World Cup and that will be a reasonably appropriate time to hand over the mantle,” Buchanan said. “We should be in a reasonable shape. I’m sure we will be, whether we’ve won the World Cup or not.”Buchanan slammed the media’s negative image of coaches, saying that it was incorrect to see them as being of little use. “From certain sections of the media, past players and commentators, I think there’s a total lack of understanding of what the coach does,” he said. “A lot of their comments… I tend not to worry about them, because they are comments coming from ignorance.”Buchanan likened the coach’s role to that of the head of a family. “There’s guidance, there’s counselling, there’s discipline, there’s sitting down and being a best mate, there’s sitting down and giving a good kick in the pants. There’s planning about how the family is going to go forward. The family grows, the family changes, you have to deal with that. We work and play together so we do operate more like a family,” he said.

South Australia will be vying for their third ING Cup win since 1969-70, and the first since 1986-87, against New South Wales on February 26 at the Adelaide Oval.Greg Blewett, who charged SA to a place in the final with a century against Queensland last week, sounded upbeat ahead of Sunday’s game. “NSW is very competitive but their ins and outs and our solid side may tell in the final,” he told . NSW enter the final sans three of their stars – Michael Clarke, Nathan Bracken and Stuart Clark, who are away in South Africa on national duty.SA will field a settled side, with possibly Dan Cullen, the offspinner, coming in for the legspinner Cullen Bailey. “Our past couple of games have been really pleasing. We dominated in Brisbane and I think we will go in with the same mentality here in Adelaide,” Blewett said. “We are really excited. It’s nice not only to be in the final but to host it. It’s a big advantage. NSW has beaten us twice this year so we think we are pretty much due.” The Adelaide Oval will be hosting the domestic one-day final after 22 years.NSW lost the opportunity to host the final through their one-run loss to Western Australia but will be boosted by their 100% record while playing away – they have won all their five away-games this summer. Prior to last Christmas NSW were the dominant side in both the Pura and ING competitions, but have performed rather indifferently this year. But Brad Haddin, the captain, is hoping the excitement of of a big occasion like the final will inspire his men.”I think this has come at a perfect time for us. We need something different, and a final might just be what we’re after,” Haddin told . “It’s no secret we haven’t been playing that good over the last month or so, but a final’s a different occasion – it brings out different emotions and feelings, and qualities you do see in earlier-round games.”What we’ve stressed to everyone is that what’s gone before us means bugger-all. We’re in a final and whoever turns up ready to play takes the points away. It’s a totally different game in a final. We’ve also won every game we’ve played away, so there might have been something in that.”NSW will look to Phil Jaques to lead the way with the bat and will rely on their spin twins – Stuart MacGill and Jason Krejza – to do the honours with the ball. Jaques is the competition’s record-breaking leading run-scorer with 662 runs, including four centuries, who, however, failed in his three state innings since being overlooked for the South Africa tour. Haddin will be hoping Jaques comes back with a big score when it really matters.South Australia too will be looking to Mark Cosgrove, who has been second behind Jaques with 542 runs, to fire. Their attack will be centred on speedster Shaun Tait and former Test paceman Jason Gillespie, who has recently been on a comeback trail.With both teams having different reasons to be happy about, the final promises to be a keenly fought encounter.TeamsNew South Wales: Phil Jaques, Craig Simmons, Matthew Phelps, Corey Richards, Dominic Thornely, Aaron O’Brien, Brad Haddin (capt, wk), Moises Henriques, Jason Krejza, Grant Roden, Aaron Bird, Doug Bollinger, Stuart MacGill.South Australia: Greg Blewett, Cameron Borgas, Mark Cosgrove, Darren Lehmann (capt), Callum Ferguson, Daniel Harris, Ken Skewes, Graham Manou (wk), Mark Cleary, Jason Gillespie, Daniel Cullen, Cullen Bailey, Shaun Tait.

Zimbabwe Cricket has announced that the long-awaited forensic audit of its accounts will be undertaken by Ruzengwe and Partners, a Harare-based office which, according to the Zimbabwe Institute of Accountants, has only two partners.The audit, which critics of the board have been demanding since last autumn, was promised when the Sports & Recreation Committee appointed an interim board, headed by Peter Chingoka, to run the game in Zimbabwe pending elections later in the year. At its first meeting, the interim board announced that it had decided to appoint “a firm of auditors of international repute”.While there are no reasons to question the independence of Ruzengwe and Partners, and they are certainly a well-known local accountants, critics had hoped that a bigger firm with a better international presence would be brought in. There are also concerns that the terms of reference for the audit are defined by the interim committee.Opponents of the board reacted with dismay but not surprise. One leading administrator told Cricinfo that it was “a farce” and questioned “whether a firm of that size is capable of carrying out a massive and complex forensic audit”.”Ruzengwe and Partners is an independent, internationally recognised auditing firm accredited to the list of auditors of institutions recognised by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe,” Chingoka said. “It is also a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Zimbabwe. Their report will be there for all to see.”