A-team selections raise bigger concerns

The debate over the selection of the Zimbabwe A side to play Bangladesh rumbles on with reports of rows within Zimbabwe Cricket over some of those named. The squad is made up of mostly inexperienced players from the substandard National League.

"Anyone can score run in that league," said a leading cricket personality in Zimbabwe. "It can't be used as basis for selection into international cricket."

He cited the inclusion of Bradley Staddon, the son of ZC interim committee member Stan Staddon, as an example of the issues. The younger Staddon has not played in Zimbabwe for a lengthy spell, and many are far from happy at his selection when there appears to be little to justify it. Some sources within Zimbabwe cricket have also claimed that the team's racial composition was deliberately unrepresentative of the pool of players in the country.

Andy Pycroft, who is coaching the side, was said by sources to have flagged his disapproval with selectors over the make-up of the team.

"We have to stop this politics and chose the best team," a ZC insider said. "Clearly this team has been picked to represent the so-called new set-up in Zimbabwe cricket following the disbandment of old provinces and setting up of new ones. With a team like this, Bangladesh A are going to hammer us. ZC might have won the political battle for cricket in Zimbabwe, but they are not concentrating on the broader picture. That broader picture includes winning games and restoring confidence in Zimbabwe cricket. That is not happening."

At least ZC has managed to hire back two former critics. Givemore Makoni, the former Mashonaland Cricket Association general manager, has been appointed Zimbabwe A manager, while Steven Mangongo, who was a few months back sacked as the A-side assistant coach, was this week named as the new general manager of the National Academy.