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Tavengwa Mukuhlani

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Government has summoned the Zimbabwe Cricket board over the Chevrons’ failure to qualify for the International Cricket Council World Cup and the subsequent dismissal of the entire national team coaching staff headed by Heath Streak.

Following the country’s failure to qualify for the finals that will be held in England and Wales, the ZC board shook the sporting fraternity by firing the entire coaching structure, a decision that has since been described as one of the most absurd and damaging decisions made by any sports body ever in Zimbabwe’s history.

In a scathing statement, the former Minister of Education, Sports and Culture, David Coltart, blasted the ZC board chaired by Tavengwa Mukuhlani and called for its dismissal.

Speaking during an interview on the sidelines of the commissioning of a classroom block at Sizinda/Tshabalala Vocational Training Centre in Bulawayo yesterday, the Minister of Youth, Sports, Arts and Recreation, Raymond Kazembe, said he has since summoned the ZC board to his office so as to understand what really happened.

Minister Kazembe said he would not be drawn into making knee   jerk decisions as such actions are usually driven by emotions more than reason.

“There is always a danger of being a victim of knee jerk reaction, yes as much as we were not happy with the failure to qualify, I prefer doing things procedurally so I have asked the Zimbabwe Cricket board to submit a report. In fact I am meeting them on Wednesday to hear what exactly transpired and then we will make a decision from there.

“I don’t want knee jerk reactions, I don’t like them. I always prefer to look at things from an informed view point. I want to ensure that I don’t make uninformed decisions so after the Wednesday meeting, we will then take it from there. I am one person who is not into knee jerk reactions simply because something has happened. You must be able to separate emotions from reason, you need to do first things first before rushing into certain conclusions,” said Minister Kazembe.

He however, said like everyone else, the Government was hoping the Chevrons would qualify for the global showpiece but was naturally disappointed by the failure to make it to England and Wales.

“As Government and personally as a Minister responsible for sport in the country,  I was there (during the qualifiers) and I was hoping Zimbabwe was going to qualify and so did everyone else including those actually involved but then we were all disappointed,” said Minister Kazembe.