Gavin Ewing heads to Devon

Gavin Ewing, who spurned an approach by Zimbabwe Cricket to play in the World Cup, has signed up for English club side Paignton, who play in the ECB Devon Premier League.

Ewing also revealed he was consulting with his lawyers with the view to taking ZC to court in order to recover the US$7000 that he is owed in outstanding match fees. He still has the Nissan Almera issued to him by ZC when he was a contracted player which he is refusing to return until the dispute is settled.

"I have signed up for Paignton on a Kolpak and I have got an ancestral visa," he told Cricinfo. "ZC approached me to play in the World Cup but I told them that as long as they do not pay me the money they owe me I am not interested. I am suing them to try and get the money that they owe me."

Ewing is one of the players, who include former captains Heath Streak and Tatenda Taibu, who are still owed money by ZC. The sticking point has always been the issue of the exchange rate, which ZC wants to use to settle the debts. ZC insists on paying the players at the official rate of Zim$250 to a US dollar, but this rate is ridiculed as it is only at such a level as Robert Mugabe, the president, insist it cannot change in a bid to try to show economic stability. The unofficial rate on the streets is currently Zim$11,000 to one US dollar.

Given the rampant inflation inside the country, the players want to be paid in foreign currency as per their contractual agreements. ZC, which has been taken to court for breaching the country's rigid forex regulations, insists that it is not allowed to do so.