zimcricketnews.com

ZC have announced their squad for the 1st ODI versus Sri Lanka - it may be the squad for the full series, but the announcement is typically vague and I certainly hope it isn't. Notable inclusions are Tatenda Taibu (who has other worries that cricket and, according to CricInfo, has been locked in a pay & conditions dispute with ZC as well) and Ed Rainsford, who returns from the international wilderness to bring some pace to the side. One very noticeable absence is Sean Williams, who despite having Walter Chawaguta chasing him to make himself available manages to miss out on selection in a frankly mystifying decision. It's a decent squad, though, and should be reasonably competitive if they can perform to their capabilities.
Squad: Prosper Utseya (captain), Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Keith Dabengwa, Timycen Maruma, Hamilton Masakadza, Shingirai Masakadza, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Christopher Mpofu, Tawanda Mupariwa, Forster Mutizwa, Raymond Price, Edward Rainsford, Vusimuzi Sibanda and Tatenda Taibu.

An ICC fact-finding team, led by Dr Julian Hunte (president of the WICB) has arrived in Harare to gauge the current state of Zimbabwean cricket. With this year's National League competition having apparently been cancelled and there now being a continuing player drain at the lower levels of the sport in Zim, it may not be the best timing from ZC's point of view. The ICC team will also be looking at the policies and arrangements that ZC have in place with regard to working towards a return to Test cricket. Their report is unlikely to be glowing, I would have thought - but I'll be very surprised if any report, no matter how negative, makes any difference to how ZC are running the game...

Just days after telling the media that he was not longer available to play for Zimbabwe, CricInfo reports that Sean Williams has announced that he is now available for the Sri Lanka series. The announcement comes after Walter Chawaguta told papers in Harare that he had approached both Williams and Brendan Taylor about playing - while the Taylor approach doesn't appear to have borne fruit, he does appear to have persuaded Williams, who is arguably the most talented player currently in the Zimbabwean setup. Given Chawaguta's comments, it seems unlikely that Williams would now be overlooked for selection.
CricInfo - Williams backtracks once again

CricInfo reports that Douglas Hondo has been approached about filling the post of Assistant Coach to the Zim national side - although ZC are awkwardly asking him to apply to the job, despite apparently being the only man on their shortlist. Hondo originally quit international cricket in an argument over dreadlocks (ZC ordered him to cut his locks off, he declined), before his chance of a return were ended by a back injury. Since then he's been coaching, and now Walter Chawaguta has indentified him as the ideal bowling coach for the side. No news yet on whether Hondo intends to take the offer, but there could certainly be worse choices.
CricInfo - Zimbabwe want Hondo as assistant

The absence of up-and-coming player Alester Maregwede from recent Zimbabwean sides has raised a few eyebrows - now we may know why. Maregwede, who has been in Australia on a sporting visa, was been bailed back in March on rape charges. Over to the Sunraysia Daily:

Alester Maragwede, 26, who played last season with Mildura Settlers in the Sunraysia Cricket Association competition, has been charged with the rape of a 38-year-old woman earlier this month. Yesterday he appeared in Mildura Magistrates’ Court where he was also ordered to surrender his passport, not to contact witnesses and report to police three times a week.

Police allege the rape took place in the early hours of Friday, March 21, however further details have not been put to the court. Mr Maragwede has been in Australia on a sporting visa for the past six months. As well as playing for Mildura Settlers, he also represented Sunraysia in the Melbourne Country Week cricket tournament.

That report is dated March 2008 - I haven't yet been able to track down any more recent information on the case, but will update this article if I do.

ZC have named a 15-man squad for the 4-day tour match against Sri Lanka, to be played in Bulawayo later this week. The squad is:
Prosper Utseya (captain), Stuart Matsikenyere, Tatenda Taibu, Hamilton Masakadza, Elton Chigumbura, Tawanda Mupariwa, Chris Mpofu, Chamu Chibhabha, Keith Dabengwa, Graeme Cremer, Regis Chakabva, Timycen Maruma, Shingirai Masakadza, Tafadzwa Ngulube and Trevor Garwe.

Notable by his absence is Ray Price, who is apparently being "rested", while Taurai Muzarabani is out following an injury picked up on the Kenya tour and Cephas Zhuwawo is also dropped. In their places come Shingirai Masakadza, who is due a chance after some stellar performances in the Logan Cup, Trevor Garwe (a long-time Zimbabwe Provinces mainstay) and Tafadzwa Ngulube.

Vusi Sibanda had been expected to make his return, but he's now headed to South Africa for further medical checks and isn't now expected to play until the one-day warm-up match on 17 November.

According to CricInfo, Sean Williams has apparently told "media sources" in South Africa that he is no longer available to play for Zimbabwe. Williams, currently playing in Johannesburg, cited selection frustrations as being behind his decision - he has been practising with the team on a regular basis, he's a talented player, and yet his efforts and skills haven't been rewarded with a regular place in the national side. This is something that's baffled Zimbabwe supporters for a while now - Williams is undoubtedly one of the best players to come out of Zimbabwe since the Flower brothers, but it appears that talent counts for nothing in ZC, where politics hold sway.

Williams isn't the first player to be lost thank to ZC dubious selection policies, and he's unlikely to be the last. A few warning shots have been fired across the team's bows in recent matches - the draw against Canada and loss to Kenya - and it's clear that, unless ZC field our strongest possible side, then the future for the Zimbabwe team is bleak indeed. But we all know that ZC are going to do nothing to address the issue, as they simply don't see that there is an issue - to them, the issue is one of too many white players. And so Chingoka & company fiddle while the side's international standing crumbles. I hope they're proud.
Sean Williams turns his back on Zimbabwe

Sri Lanka have named their squad for their upcoming visit to Zimbabwe, with Kumar Sangakkara being named captain after an earlier-than-expected return from injury. Sanath Jayasuriya and Chaminda Vaas are absent from the side, having opted out citing personal reasons. The full squad is:
Mahela Jayawardene (captain), Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Udawatte, Chamara Kapugedara, Jehan Mubarak, Thilan Kandamby, Upul Tharanga, Farveez Maharoof, Thilan Thushara, Nuwan Kulasekara, Ajantha Mendis, Dilhara Fernando, Muttiah Muralitharan, Angelo Mathews, Dhammika Prasad.
Cricket365 - Sangakkara Back For Zim Tour

It gets worse and worse for former Zim captain Tatenda Taibu, as New Zimbabwe reports that he's now facing formal assault charges over his altercation with ZC administrator Esther Lupepe. The site reports that an initial hearing was held in Harare on Monday, with his defence seeking a postonement to 7 November. Taibu is currently out on police bail.
New Zimbabwe - Taibu to fight assault charge

The Zimbabwe side are due to leave for Canada today, but there's confusion over whether the proper visa paperwork is in place to allow the side to travel. CricInfo reports that the Canadian Embassy in Harare has yet to issue visa, citing Canadian government reluctance to allow sporting ties with Zimbabwe at present; but organisers of the Canada Cup maintain that visas were issued on October 3rd (Friday past) and that the team will be travelling as planned. We'll know for sure soon enough, but if true it's disappointing to see politics raise its head again. It's understood that Bermuda are on standby to replace Zimbabwe should the team be unable to take part.
CricInfo - Confusion over Zimbabwe visas