Zimbabwe Cricket needs a miracle: Coltart

Daily News

31st July 2014

Former Sports minister David Coltart believes Zimbabwe Cricket’s latest slump at the hands of war-torn Afghanistan comes as no surprise and is a culmination of “lack of sound policy” by the sport’s leadership.

In a series where the Test playing nation was expected to run over the second-tier side, Zimbabwe found themselves drawing the four-match ODI series 2-2 before their A side fell to a humiliating 35 run loss in the first un-official Test match in Harare yesterday.

The result is undoubtedly disheartening ahead of the arrival of world number one Test side South Africa for a one-off Test match next week.

“I’m afraid it’s not surprising. When you deprive a team of an expert bowling coach, an expert batting coach and an experienced coach and then you appoint a coach with no international cricket experience it’s going to have its consequences. It’s inevitable,” Coltart told the Daily News yesterday.

Coltart added that poor decision-making and the “race card” has been ZC board’s greatest undoing.

“I am afraid they will say my comments are racist, but they are a lot of blacks who could have easily taken the coaching role, be it Ireland coach (Phil) Simmons or former West Indies players or Indian coaches and many other international coaches.

“But I wonder if there was any consultation with players.

“It doesn’t augur well for the future.”

Trinidadian Simmons has previously coached Zimbabwe.

Coltart said the continued presence of people within the ZC board without any recognisable cricketing background was a sad indictment on the leadership of the game.

“I don’t think there is a single member of that board who has played international cricket,” Coltart said.

“One only becomes a Supreme Court judge if you understand the pressure that comes with arguing a case and that’s the same with every job.

“Not to say everyone must have played international cricket, obviously there are passionate people who have not played but who do well in their positions, but in the current ZC board there is no one.” Turning to the future of the game in the country, Coltart’s heart bleeds for the crop of talent Zimbabwe possess that may never realise its full potential.

“Well, obviously the game will not die, but barring a miracle it will continue to go down until the coach, selectors and the board change,” Coltart said.

“One thing I want to stress is, our players have demonstrated skill and passion. I have confidence in all our players even in this A side, there are some encouraging signs.

“Luke Jongwe is a great prospect, Mark Vermeulen is a talent.

“With South Africa and Australia coming, we wish them well but there is no denying that we will be up against it.”