ZimOnline reports that ZC have been pressuring the Attorney General’s office to have Mark Vermeulen’s mental state re-examined - previous examinations have declared him to be “mentally unstable”:
Sources at the Attorney General’s office told ZimOnline that senior Zimbabwe Cricket officials were putting pressure on the AG’s office to have Vermeulen re-examined after an earlier report this year said he was “mentally unstable”.
“He is now being re-examined and by the end of November we should be having new tests results. We do not know what has changed from the previous results which found him to be unstable,” said an official from the AG’s office who refused to be named. “It was just a directive from above that he be re-examined although doctors from the United Kingdom, Australia and our local doctors had said he was mentally unstable.”
Vermeulen has admitted the attacks on Harare Sports Club and Zimbabwe Cricket Academy, but has pleaded not guilty on grounds of diminished responsiblity. Any reversal of the previous determinations of his mental state would no doubt undermine that defence.
ZimOnline - Former cricket ace to be re-examined to assess sanity
…but not before the Old Hararians captain received a reprimand from judge Mishrod Guvamombe for breaching the terms of his bail. Vermeulen was spotted at Harare Sports Club during day one of the match against Sri Lanka ‘A’. In response, defence lawyer Eric Matinenga has made an application for those bail terms to be lifted, and the case has been adjourned until 12 November while the request is considered.
Zimbabwe Standard - Court reprimands Vermeulen
Gavin Ewing and Dion Ebrahim have both signed club contracts with New Zealand sides, effectively ruling them out of a return to the Zimbabwean side. Ewing will play for Inglewood Cricket Club in the Taranaki District Cricket League - Ebrahim’s club has not yet been confirmed.
CricInfo - Ewing and Ebrahim head to New Zealand
In what seems to be a retirement announcement, former Zim captain Heath Streak has announced he will be leaving county side Warwickshire at the end of the current season, citing a desire to spend less time on the road and more with his family. That would seem to rule out a return to international cricket.
“It has been a difficult decision to call time on my career here in England. Edgbaston is a special place to play and I am proud to have been able to call myself a [Warwickshire] Bear. I still intend to maintain an involvement in cricket in some capacity whilst travelling less and spending more time with my family. I am determined to finish the season strongly myself and I hope that the team can put together some good performances to see me off in style.”
CricInfo - Streak ends Warwickshire stint
It seems former Zim U19 player Colin de Grandhomme has opted to take his services overseas, after New Zealand provincial side Auckland asked the ICC for clearance to sign de Grandhomme as a local player. According to Auckland coach Mark O’Donnell:
“[de Grandhomme]’s making New Zealand his home, has declared he wants to play for New Zealand and it’s just a question of how representing Zimbabwe affects him.”
If the ICC decide de Grandhomme is considered an overseas player, he wouldn’t be eligible to be contracted by Auckland. If I understand the rules correctly, since de Grandhomme has represented a Full Member nation at U19 level, he should have to complete a 4-year residency period before qualifying for another country - which by my reckoning should leave him as an overseas player for another few years yet. The ICC get the final say, however - but either way, another promising young player has been lost to Zimbabwe.
New Zealand Herald - Auckland check out Zimbabwean’s eligibility
CricInfo reports that Tatenda Taibu has been seen training with the Zimbabwe squad in Harare, ahead of upcoming series in South Africa and, still remotely possible, West Indies A. Rumour has it that Taibu is negotiating the terms of his return with ZC - if he does play for Zim again, it’s likely he’ll be reinstated as captain in place of Prosper Utseya.
Meanwhile, ZC has held coaching courses in Harare to try and identify some new bowling talent to help bolster the national side, while two representative sides are due to be announced shortly - Zimbabwe A to visit South Africa for first-class and one-day matches against the Standard Bank and Highveld Lions Academies, and Zimbabwe Select to face West Indies A.
CricInfo: Zimbabwe on the hunt for fast bowlers | Zimbabwe pick two A-team squads
Former Zim captain has been named England’s new assistant coach, following on from the appointment of Peter Moores in place of Duncan Fletcher. Funny how England can’t seem to manage without at least one Zimbabwean in their setup, isn’t it?
One side effect of the appointment is that Flower’s first-class playing career is now at an end. In a statement announcing the appointment, Flower said;:
“I’m proud of the days I spent in Zimbabwe and I’m proud of the fact that when we were given Test status we worked our hides off, sweating blood and tears trying to justify that promotion to Test and one-day international cricket. I look back fondly on the times that I spent with a lot of good people in Zimbabwe.”
Flower has indicated in the past that he would be willing to help Zimbabwean cricket rebuild, just not under the current board. During his time with Zimbabwe, Flower played 63 Tests, scoring 4794 runs at an average of 51.54, with 12 centuries and 160 dismissals as wicketkeeper. He was the #1 ranked Test bastman for a period, and is undoubtedly Zimbabwe’s greatest player to date.
Dion Ebrahim is the latest Zimbabwean to head for English club cricket, after signing with Stony Stratford Town, who play in the Northants Cricket League. Ebrahim will also have a coaching role with the club.
CricInfo - Ebrahim signs for English club
Vusi Sibanda has confirmed he’ll be concentrating on his club career in Australia and will no longer be playing for Zimbabwe. Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Sibanda said the decision was the best choice to improve his game:
“I had dreamed of playing for Zimbabwe all my life, but, over the years, it has changed a lot. The young guys have been left to clean up the mess. In the last three years, I don’t feel like my game has improved, and I believe that will happen in Australia. I know that, in the long run, I can better my career here. I wouldn’t mind playing for a grade or Shires team, so long as I felt my game was improving. I would also like to study computing. I think that this will hurt the [Zimbabwean] team, but I feel it is important.”
Sydney Morning Herald - Zimbabwe counts cost as Sibanda joins club
UPDATE: An article in the Herald would seem to contradict the above (no link provided, as the Herald doesn’t archive their online edition):
“My intention remains to better my game in Sydney. This is important for me as a professional. It is also vital for me as an international player because nowhere have I ever said that I am turning my back on Zimbabwe.”
Thanks to jones for the heads-up.
Zim player Anthony Ireland has quit international cricket and signed for English county side Gloucestershire on a 2-year Kolpak contract, despite still technically being under contract to ZC.
According to Gloucestershire’s head coach Mark Alleyne:
“We are excited Anthony can now join us after featuring in the 2nd XI last year. He is going to add significant depth to the bowling department and we look forward to his immense contribution.”
Ireland himself is looking forward to the opportunity to play in England again:
“I am really glad to be playing for Gloucestershire. I firmly believe that the intensity of the first-class game in England will improve my cricket quickly and I can’t wait to get started.”
While ZC may have made their players sign contracts prior to the World Cup, there’s really not much they can do to enforce those contracts on any players that choose to play overseas - especially now that they’ve apparently been paid their World Cup match fees. It therefore seems likely that Ireland’s departure may be the first of yet another exodus of players…
gloscricket.co.uk - GCCC sign Anthony Ireland
UPDATE: CricInfo have an interview with Ireland where he explains why he feels he can’t play for Zimbabwe under current circumstances, and a separate article looking at the contract players were forced to sign prior to the World Cup. Both articles are worth a read.
CricInfo - Ireland: ‘I cannot work with such people’ | Alarmed Zimbabwe look to prevent player exodus