Jump to content

Zimbabwe board has no money to pay for players' meals in hotel


Recommended Posts

Last week, after taking a 3-0 series lead, the boisterous Indian cricket team left the Harare Sports Club in a rush to celebrate the triumph at their hotel. But their rivals, the Zimbabweans, like on all match days, were in no hurry to leave. With no team hotel to go to, their dinner was a buffet at the venue. Besides, the home players had to also discuss car pool arrangements or figure out public transport schedules to reach Bulawayo for the second leg of the series. In Bulawayo, for the last two games, the Zimbabweans have checked in at Holiday Inn. But the team still has to travel to the stadium three times a day for meals. Zimbabwe cricket's financial woes are not a secret but the fact that the Test-nation's cricket body cannot afford to pay for the breakfast, lunch and dinner of its players at the team hotel or arrange for their transport points to a near-bankruptcy. Former opener Grant Flower, who is now the team's batting coach, accepts that Zimbabwean cricket is in trouble and adds to the gloom by saying that there is no silver-lining in sight. "We are struggling. I'm not sure when we will come out of it. I don't know the exact answers but Zimbabwe cricket is under heavy debt," said Flower. "If this continues, our cricket might soon lose its identity." The one-sided games in the series have brought to focus the contrasting skills of the two young teams. Beyond the boundary, the disparity in resources and in the incentives the two countries provide their teams is far more stark. The world's richest board and the one that is barely managing to provide basic amenities to its players have hardly anything in common. In India, a Grade-A central contract fetches skipper Virat Kohli close to $186,000 a year. His counterpart Brendan Taylor earns around $6,000 a year - just $1,000 more than what every member of the Indian team is paid for participating in an ODI. Besides the match fee, the Indians also get a daily allowance of $80. Taylor and his teammates don't get match fees or any other allowance. The Zimbabwean skipper is actually among a handful of players who gets a four-digit pay check. Most others have signed up for a winter contract of $500. To add to Team Zimbabwe's woes, the payments are almost always never on time. "There is no money coming in. Cricket Zimbabwe owes me $1,500. It's a big risk being a cricketer in this country," said a member of the present squad. In the past, it is this disparity that resulted in constant threats of player boycotts and a mass exodus of talent. It has also been the reason for many players getting completely disillusioned and turning their back completely on Zimbabwean cricket. "Zimbabwe needs more international cricket," said Flower. It almost sounds like a desperate plea.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/zimbabwe-board-has-no-money-to-pay-for-players-meals-in-hotel/1149558/
Link to comment
lets start some relief fund and donate money to the zimbos
Better things to donate money for ... Like Uttarakhand Victims ... Flood victims in Assam, etc. if we really want to help people in Zimbabwe, help by donating to charities that are working at the food problems there. Last I heard, there was a big food crisis in Zimbabwe.
Link to comment
Series like these will help them
2 tests would have been great for them ... but then again, all these gains will become a loss when they host Pakistan and Sri Lanka later this year which are almost certain to run losses for them as Pakistan couldn't even get a sponsor for their series in West Indies. No chance, there will be good sponsorship money coming from a series against Pakistan in Zimbabwe.
Link to comment
invite them to India for a series and split revenue. Also we should have some slots kept for Zimbabwe in IPL
Yup, a good deal ... 10% of all Player fees in IPL goes to home board. So if someone like Taylor or Chigumbara get a deal from any franchisee, the board can get atleast enough to meet player travelling costs and their food expenses.
Link to comment

As unfortunate as it may sound, the truth is that their cricket board's financial condition reflects the actual state of the zimbo economy. So they are not the only org in Zim to suffer through such conditions. Their currency is so severely de-valued that it's not possible to buy grocery without taking a briefcase full of cash! With the corruption gripping that country, I sense that any financial support to their cricket board will be usurped by the politicians.... so better to let them work on strengthening their economy and work closely with neighboring south africa in this regard.

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...