zimcricketnews.com

Former Zim captain Tatenda Taibu is in hot water after apparently manhandling ZC finance & administration manager Esther Lupepe. The incident, reported by The Herald last week, happened at a travel agency in Harare's Avenues district, where Taibu was apparently rowing with Lupepe over money he claims he's owed by the board (Taibu took his family to Pakistan during Zim's tour there earlier in the year, and apparently is expecting ZC to foot the bill for this). ZC have confirmed that the incident took place, but will most likely not result in any action being taken before the Canada & Kenya tour gets underway.
The Herald - Taibu Manhandles ZC General Manager

ZC have named their 15-man squad for the upcoming trip to Canada and Kenya, after a delay apparently related to trying to co-opt Brendan Taylor into the squad. His absence from the squad list shows they weren't successful.

The only real surprise is the inclusion of Cephas Zhuwawo (or "Cephas Who?", as the Zimbabwe Independent perhaps meanly titled their article on him), who has been included as the side's specialist T20 player after some good performances against Pakistan Academy.

The Independent also has an interview with Prosper Utseya ahead of the tour. He realises that the Associate sides they'll be playing shouldn't be underestimated, and plans to show them no mercy:

"Yes they will want to prove a point. We must take it as a challenge. We need to keep it simple…thrash them and silence them. For the past three months we have been preparing hard for this. I can safely say we are ready."

He's also looking for more consistency from the side, and for his senior players to step up to the plate:

I think (the) guys need to be consistent and play to win all the time. If we can get all the senior guys averaging 40 plus in both tournaments we will come right. The senior guys will also be useful in the field. I will need their help. To be a good captain you need to ask for their advice and they should in turn give you good advice."

There's more in the interview that's worth reading - see the link below. It's good to see him clearly fired up for both series, which will provide the side with their first full international cricket since February. Here's hoping there are some good results on the way.

The final squad is: Prosper Utseya (captain), Stuart Matsikenyeri, Tatenda Taibu, Chamu Chibhabha, Ray Price, Hamilton Masakadza, Elton Chigumbura, Keith Dabengwa, Regis Chakabva, Taurai Muzarabani, Chris Mpofu, Tawanda Mupariwa, Timycen Maruma, Graeme Cremer, Cephas Zhuwawo.
Zimbabwe Cricket - Zimbabwe squad for Canada and Kenya announced
Zimbabwe Independent - Cephas Who...? | Prosper Utseya Speaks On Captaincy And Future

ZC have named an 18-man provisional squad for the upcoming tours of Canada and Kenya. There are a few surprises in the list, with Vusi Sibanda and Sean Williams both absent (Sibanda is carrying a hip injury, while Williams is reportedly being linked with an appearance for SA franchise side Highveld Lions). Brendan Taylor is also not on the list, although given his contact wranglings that's probably not surprising.

There's also a surprise return for Ed Rainsford, who has spent several years out in the cold now - it seems the need to have some decent pace in the bowling attack has necessitated his return, and not before time. The squad is due to be whittled down to 15 before the side departs, but from the moment the named players are:
Prosper Utseya (captain), Stuart Matsikenyeri, Ray Price, Tatenda Taibu, Hamilton Masakadza, Elton Chigumbura, Tawanda Mupariwa, Chris Mpofu, Chamu Chibhabha, Keith Dabengwa, Graeme Cremer, Edward Rainsford, Regis Chakabva, Timycen Maruma, Taurai Muzarabani, Johnson Marumisa, Bonaparte Mujuru, Trevor Garwe.
Zimbabwe Independent - Zim Set To Tour With Depleted Side

Following the resignation of CSA President Norman Arendse, and changes in the political situation in Zimbabwe, it's reported that Cricket South Africa will review their bilateral arrangements with ZC at their October board meeting. Bilateral ties were cut a few months ago as a result of the post-election uncertainty in Zim, with Arendse being a key force behind moves to isolate Zimbabwe. With him now gone, and a power-sharing deal signed (if not yet fully in place), the groundwork has been laid for a resumption of ties.

It's probably too late now for Zimbabwe Provinces to take their place in this season's SAA Provincial competitions, but it may still be possible for Zimbabwe Chevrons to take part in the MTN Domestic Championship and/or Standard Bank Pro20 competitions - although we'll need to await the outcome of October's meeting to know for sure.
Zimbabwe Standard - SA to Review ZC Ties

ZC have been ordered to pay match fees outstanding to Gavin Ewing from the 2005 series against India, New Zealand and Kenya. Ewing had refused to hand back his ZC car in the dispute over the outstanding fees, which arose when ZC decided to pay players in Zimbabwe dollars instead of in foreign currency, as required by player contracts at the time. According to the Sunday News:

The matter, which had been pending at the High Court in Harare, was finalised last month in favour of Ewing. ZC were ordered to pay what they owed the player and were given a time in which to settle.
In return, Ewing was directed to return the car issued to him by ZC when he was still contracted to the cricket mother body.

Ewing is the first of a number of players with outstanding court cases to have a judgement issued. Heath Streak, Stuart Carlisle, Andy Blignaut and Dion Ebrahim all have outstanding cases relating to the same series.
Sunday News - Ewing wins case against ZC

Zim coach Walter Chawaguta has expressed hope that Zimbabwe will be able to score an upset win over Pakistan or Sri Lanka at next month's Canada Cup Twenty20 tournament. With a win against Australia alrady under their belt in the short form of the game, there's certainly a precedent:

"In Canada, I have no doubt we will beat Canada but we would love to beat one of the top sides Sri Lanka and Pakistan. We have posted a shock victory in Twenty20 cricket before and it is possible to beat Pakistan or Sri Lanka. I will be happy to win two of the three matches."

The side for the tournament has yet to be announced, but with the side travelling directly from Canada to Kenya for the tri-series there, it's expected that the squad will be chosen on the basis of one-day form, and not Twenty20 form. The Kenya matches are, after all, ranking games, and Zimbabwe will be looking to overtake Ireland in the one-day rankings.

Ian Robinson, perhaps Zimbabwe's longest-serving cricket umpire with 33 years of officiating under his belt (including 28 Test matches, 90 one-day internationals and three World Cup tournaments), has announced his retirement from the ICC's International Panel. Robinson was appointed the ICC's Regional Performance Manager for the Africa region back in June, and has now decided to quit umpiring in order to concentrate on his new post:

"Following my appointment as an ICC Regional Umpires Performance Manager, it has become clear that I will not be able to continue as a member of the ICC International Panel. It is, therefore, with regret and enormous pride, that I am closing this chapter of my cricket life, so as to be fully effective in my new role."

The ICC's Umpires' and Referees' manager Vince van der Bijl paid tribute to Robinson's long years of service:

"Ian has given a huge part of his life to cricket and, in particular, to umpiring the game so his on-field influence will be missed by players, spectators and other match officials. It is great, though, that Ian will still be heavily involved in the game and I have no doubt that his knowledge and enthusiasm will help to develop and nurture the next generation of top-level umpires from Africa."

All the best to Ian in his new role.
CricInfo - Ian Robinson retires to take up ICC role

Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik seems to have learnt a lesson from last year's World Twenty20, and claim he and his side will not be underestimating either Canada or Zimbabwe going into next month's Canada Cup competition.

"I don't think they are weak teams. Any team can deliver on any given day in this version of the game. We saw that happen in the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa last year."

That would be a reference to Zimbabwe's defeat of Australia, no doubt. Of course, there are serious doubts as to whether Zim's match-winner for that game, Brendan Taylor, will be available for this tourney.
Cricket365 - Malik Wary Of Zimbabwe And Canada

The schedule has been released for the Canada Cup Four Nations Twenty20 competition, and the sides will face off as follows:

10 October 2008         Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe
10 October 2008         Canada v Pakistan
11 October 2008         Canada v Zimbabwe
11 October 2008         Sri Lanka v Pakistan
12 October 2008         Pakistan v Zimbabwe
12 October 2008         Canada v Sri Lanka
13 October 2008         Final

brmtaylor.com provides the following results from this week's matches in the Vigne Cup:
Uprising (195; Mafuva 51) beat Takashinga 1 (73; Chinyengetere 5/19) by 122 runs
Royals beat Harare Sports Club by forfeit - HSC failed to field a side
Uprising 2 (271; Daniels 66) beat Centurions (187; Hwezha 58)