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Vermeulen Returns to Domestic Cricket

Wed, 21/02/2007 - 00:42 — admin

Mark Vermeulen, currently facing arson charges over the fires at Harare Sports Club and the Zimbabwe Cricket Academy, returned to domestic action last weekend after his bail conditions were relaxed to allow him to play again - although he's still banned from playing at Harare Sports Club. He scored 39 for Old Hararians against Glenshire in a Vinge Cup match.

Comments

Thu, 22/02/2007 - 06:09 — Hamba Kuhle (not verified)

All I would like to know is why the ZC never had a helping hand in Mark Vermeulens Rehabilitation, when it became apparent that it was help he needed. If you were a test batsman in another country and were injured to the extent that he was whilst playing for his country, then help would have been made available. I think it is absolutely appauling that ZC have left one of their cricket representatives fall by the wayside in times that he needed them to lend a helping hand. You could say he was injured on the TOUR OF DUTY! ZC SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES AND WHAT THEY HAVE BECOME????

Thu, 22/02/2007 - 13:01 — maehara (not verified)

In hindsight, it's easy to see how the head injuries Vermeulen suffered while playing for Zim could well have led to his current mental state, but I don't think anyone realised just how fragile he was until the incident while playing for Werneth last year.

That said, Vermeulen's apparently not the only ex-Zim player with mental problems - to quote from a recent Wisden Cricketer article:

Vermeulen is not the only Zimbabwean cricketer who lives a troubled life. Another Test player, well respected and admired, has fallen victim to self-mutilation and slashes his arms with a razor blade. Still another player, who is easily counted among Zimbabwe's greatest, punishes himself for a poor stroke by refusing fluids and running long distances.

If that's true, then ZC do have a lot to answer for - but the problem with lack of support would have been running back to before the current board's tenure. ZC have a Player Welfare Committee - just what is their function, if not helping players (past and present) with this sort of issue?