Zimbabwe scrap provincial structure

Cricinfo has learned that Zimbabwe Cricket has abolished the six provincial structures they set up two years ago, and will now operate in the original four provinces. The board has also scrapped the traditional grading system for contracted players, who will now have similar salaries.

Reliable sources said ZC shut down the six offices at the beginning of August. The development will see most of the provincial managers being assimilated into the old provinces mainly as assistants.

ZC established the six new provinces, Matabeleland South, Matabeleland North, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West and Masvingo in 2006 in a move that was clearly seen as political as the established provinces were not happy with the leadership of Peter Chingoka. His opponents accused him of making the changes in a move to fill the new bodies with his supporters. The net result was that a strong move to oust him , which had emerged the previous year, was quashed.

ZC has now reverted to the old provincial structures that will see the union operating from Bulawayo (Matabeleland), Harare (Mashonaland), Mutare (Manicaland) and Kwekwe (Midlands).

Nicholas Singo, who was the provincial manager for Matabeleland and was based in Hwange, is now the provincial manager Matabeleland and will work from Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.

It is now not clear what will happen to the provincial boards of the provinces, but they are increasingly seen as irrelevant. One source said that the way the provinces had been shut down underlined that they were nothing more than "stooges" as they had not even been told before the decision was taken.

It has now emerged that the local boards were not in control of anything happening in their provinces as Ozias Bvute, ZC's controversial managing director, in effect made all meaningful decisions even though he is an unelected employee of the board.

Another worry is the future of players who were given provincial contracts by the new provinces. Most of them were taken from Bulawayo and Harare and made up the teams for the five provinces playing first-class cricket for the past two years.

While the move to set up the six provinces was a noble idea, it was clear from the onset that ZC was not going to be able to maintain these new structures because of the finances involved.

Zimbabwe contracted players
Prosper Utseya (captain), Tatenda Taibu, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Hamilton Masakadza, Vusimusi Sibanda, Tawanda Mupariwa, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Keith Dabengwa, Raymond Price, Christopher Mpofu, Elton Chigumbura, Sean Williams, Edward Rainsford, Tinotenda Mawoyo, Timycen Maruma, Graeme Creamer, Taurai Muzarabani, Johnson Marumisa, Regis Chakabva, Friday Kasteni, Blessing Mahwire, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Alestair Maregwede, Eric Chauluka, Trevor Garwe, Admire Manyumwa, Steady Musoso, Alois Tichana, Patient Charumbira, Prosper Tsvanhu, Silent Mujaji, Philimoen Kadzitye, Samuel Mwakayeni, Forster Mutizwa, Mbekezili Mabuza, Bonaparte Mujuru, Michael Chinouya, Bothwell Chapungu, Tinashe Hove, Tendai Chisoro, Remembrance Nyathi, Stephen Nyamuzinga, Cephas Zhuwao, Bernard Mlambo.