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13 months and no Test cricket for Zimbabwe

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Zimbabwe cricket

The Zimbabwe national cricket team will not play any Test cricket this year with their next series in the longest format of the game only coming in January 2019 when they tour Bangladesh.

When Zimbabwe play three Tests against Bangladesh in January, it will be their first after 13 months as they last played against West Indies in Bulawayo between October and November last year.

This year, Zimbabwe only have their T-20 tri-series with Pakistan and Australia which will be hosted in Harare before they take on the former in five one-day internationals (ODIs)

After that, the team will tour South Africa for three ODIs and the same number of T-20 as they begin their preparations for the World T-20 in 2020.

On the Future Tours Programme (FTP), Zimbabwe was scheduled to host Pakistan for Test cricket, but due to Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC)’s financial woes, they had to ask Pakistan to defer those matches.

ZC has clashed with players over the delay in payment of their salaries and allowances in recent months, a development that has seen some of the players that include former captain Brendan Taylor and Craig Ervine not availing themselves for selection ahead of the tri-series.

While this year’s programme is rather thin for Zimbabwe, there will be a lot of action in all formats of the game next year. In Bangladesh, they will play three Tests and the same number of ODIs, while they also have a scheduled tour of India for a single Test match and three 50-over matches.

They also have an away tour to Ireland for three ODIs and as many T-20s in July before August’s home series Afghanistan where the two will play their first Test match since the later gained full membership.

Added to that Test are five ODIs and three T-20s before the Windies also come in for one Tests and five ODIs to complete the programme for the year.

NewsDay

HEALTH

Sixteen NBA players test positive for coronavirus

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Malcom Brogdon

The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association said that 16 players tested positive for coronavirus in the first wave of mandatory tests done in preparation for the restart of the season. Those 16 players were part of a pool of 302 tested on Tuesday. Tests continue for all 22 teams that will be participating in the restart at the Disney campus near Orlando, Florida, next month.

The player names were not disclosed. However, some players, such as Malcolm Brogdon of Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings teammates Jabari Parker and Alex Len have publicly acknowledged they have tested positive.
The league and the union say that “any player who tested positive will remain in self-isolation until he satisfies public health protocols for discontinuing isolation and has been cleared by a physician.”Al Jazeera

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NEWS

Peter Chingoka dies

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Peter Chingoka

THE International Cricket Council described yesterday as a sad day for the game around the world after former Zimbabwe Cricket chairman, Peter Chingoka, died in Harare.

He was 65 and is survived by wife Shirley, two children Farai and Dambudzo, and one grandchild.

Mourners are gathered at 36 Sandringham Drive Alexandria Park.

“The International Cricket Council (ICC) was today saddened to learn of the death of Peter Chingoka,” the ICC said in a statement.

“Chingoka had a long career as a cricket administrator, including as the president of the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (as Zimbabwe Cricket was called then) from 1992 to 2014, where he assumed the title of chairman in 2001 and significantly contributed to the game’s development across Africa.

“He also was a member of the ICC Board during that time.”

ICC Chief executive, Manu Sawhney, said the global cricket family was mourning.

“The death of Mr Chingoka is sad news for the cricket world. He was widely acknowledged as an important leader in cricket in Zimbabwe and was a respected member of the ICC Board.

“It was with great sadness that we learnt of his death. On behalf of the ICC, I would like to offer our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.”

Chingoka died yesterday morning at the Avenues Clinic.

According to a family spokesperson, Patrick Chingoka, his younger brother, the late administrator was in and out of the hospital and suffered from a combination of hypertension and kidney problems.

ZC chairman, Tavengwa Mukuhlani, described him as a humble and dedicated person

“It’s sad for cricket. It’s a sad day for sport. He served over 20 years on the ZC board and served in the cricket council. He was there when we got our Test cricket status. I served under him as vice-chairman.

“We will greatly miss Peter. He was very humble and approachable. He weathered the storm for cricket locally and internationally.

“He will be missed by many,” said Mukuhlani.

The Sport and Recreation Committee also paid tribute to Chingoka.

“The Sports and Recreation Commission has received with a deep sense of sorrow and sadness the news of the passing on of Peter Chingoka a revered and long-serving cricket administrator.

“Peter’s commitment to sport in general and cricket, in particular, was unquestionable as evidenced by his immeasurable and invaluable contribution to the growth and development of cricket.

“Though Peter had retired from the active administration of Cricket, he still remained a vital cog and a repository of cricket knowledge in the country which could be called upon to give wise counsel at any time.

“The void that Peter has left will undoubtedly be very difficult to fill.

“On behalf of the Sports and Recreation Commission, we will like to convey our deepest sympathies and condolences to his family and the cricket fraternity for the sad loss of a beloved one and a colleague.’’

His death comes a year after his brother Paul, a former Tennis Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe Olympic Committee president, also passed away.

Chingoka was one of the first black Zimbabweans to establish themselves in cricket where he started as a player and then an administrator.

A local cricket fan, Columbus Makumbe, also offered his condolences.

“With deep sorrow, I learnt about the death of one of the best cricket administrators in this country.

“As a devout fan of the Chevrons, I will remember Peter Chingoka as a highly experienced administrator, outstanding personality endowed with unique human properties,’’ Makumbe said.

Chingoka was made honorary life president of ZC just three months after he stepped down as chairman.

During his playing days, he was a seamer and quite a handy lower-order batsman and played in the Gillette Cup knockout competition in 1975-76 and 1976-77.

One of his most notable scalps was South African legend, Barry Richards.

“Peter Chingoka was the first black Zimbabwean to make his name in cricket,’’ the authoritative Cricinfo said.

“A seam bowler and useful lower-order batsman, his greatest cricketing achievement was his appointment as captain of the South African African XI that played in the Gillette Cup knockout competition in 1975-76 and 1976-77.

“He was able to play multiracial club cricket for Universals, but was not a major figure and pursued cricket administration.

“He was appointed vice-president of the ZCU in 1990 and took over as president at the resignation of David Ellman-Brown in 1992, shortly after Zimbabwe gained Test status.’’The Chronicle

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NEWS

Zimbabwe Cricket governing board to be reinstated following court order

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ZIMBABWE CRICKET TEAM

Zimbabwe’s Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) has decided to reinstate Zimbabwe Cricket’s suspended governing board, which it had replaced by an interim committee last month.

The move led to the cricket board’s suspension by the ICC, which deemed it as “political interference”. ZC was given an October 8 deadline to “unconditionally reinstate” the governing board led by Tavengwa Mukuhlani.

“Accordingly, and pursuant to the said court order, the SRC hereby lifts the suspension of the directors of ZC, including that of the acting managing director [Givemore Makoni], with immediate effect,” read the statement released by SRC on August 8. “The interim committee accordingly ceases to administer the affairs of Zimbabwe Cricket forthwith.”

The decision by SRC follows a court order that came about after the suspended directors of ZC appealed the decision in the administrative court of Zimbabwe. The reinstatement of Mukuhlani and others paves the way for Zimbabwe’s inclusion back into the international fold. The ICC will convene for its next meeting on October 12, four days after the deadline for Zimbabwe ends.

In a July 24 letter, the ICC had warned about a possible termination if Zimbabwe Cricket fails to find a way back to the democratically elected board.

“Should the ICC not receive a satisfactory response from you on the above terms, within the stipulated time frame, the ICC reserves its right to take such further action as it deems appropriate including to proceed by way of termination of your membership as provided for in the Articles of Association,” the ICC letter read.

Zimbabwe, with their full member rights suspended, have already lost on berths in the upcoming World T20 qualifiers. Nigeria replaced them in the Men’s qualifiers whereas Namibia replaced them in the Women’s qualifiers.

Besides that, Zimbabwe’s domestic competitions were also put on hold due to frozen funds but the news of their participation in the triangular series in Bangladesh, which earlier looked doubtful, came as a huge boost. Cricbuzz

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