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In an interview with the Wisden Cricketer (not available online but reported in the Zimbabwe Independent, Zim legend Andy Flower admits that both sides should carry some blame for the internal disputes that nearly wrecked the game in the country. Looking back to the original disputes over selection the triggered the first player strike, Flower says:

“There was a lot of blame on both sides. (Cricket) was a sport run by the whites and not enough black cricketers got exposure. But when Peter Chingoka got involved, the way he and his fellow administrators tried to impose selection, it got the hackles up of the whites.”

“The white players and administrators — and I include myself — should have been more willing to communicate openly and attempt a serious and mature integration of more black cricketers. But the black administrators could have communicated a hell of a lot better and more honestly. It’s really sad that we didn’t find a better compromise and I take responsibility for that. But the administrators should take more of the responsibility as they were older and more experienced.”

Truth be told, Flower was hardly a spring chicken at the time either, and was certainly mature enough to know the meaning of the word “compromise”. Unfortunately, what’s past is past, and we’re still dealing with the results of both sides’ failure to communicate properly. I just hope that failure doesn’t yet turn out to have marked the beginning of the end for Zimbabwe cricket.
Zimbabwe Independent - Flower admits guilt over Zimbabwe row