The Sunday Mail
JUST when one reckons that Zimbabwe Cricket cannot get any worse, Tawengwa Mukhulani and team always find ways of hitting a new low.
Last Wednesday on September 28th, 2016, Zimbabwe A players downed expired energy drinks when they took on their Pakistan counterparts at Harare Sports Club.
The drinks had a best before date of 20/09/2016.
Curiously, no energy drinks were served in the visitors’ dressing room, raising suspicion that ZC officials knew exactly what they were up to.
ZC media and communications manager Darlington Majonga blamed the embarrassing incident on a “mix-up.”
“Yes there were some expired energy drinks in our stocks but I don’t think they got to the team.
“If indeed it’s true that players consumed the energy drinks, it can only be explained as a mix up because we took measures to avoid it from happening,” he said.
Whilst no immediate medical opinion could be obtained on the effects of consuming expired energy drinks, the latest development is yet another example of how fast the local game is plummeting.
Players, who spoke to this publication on condition that they were not named, said they got no joy when they took up the issue of the expired energy drinks with authorities.
“They just dismissed the matter as if it’s nothing,” said one player.
“Things are really bad, the other day we had only 15 bananas in the dressing room, yet the standard procedure is that there should be a constant supply of fruits and snacks during matches.
“During our sessions, there was no supply of energy drinks and we were very surprised when loads of them came to the dressing when we played the second one day game.
“We later realised that the drinks had expired and everything started to make sense. These guys are really not concerned about our well being.”
Angered by the treatment they have been getting from the authorities, Zimbabwe A players have threatened to boycott tomorrow’s fourth one day game against Pakistan.
Local cricket has long turned into a joke.
Last month, Chevrons players refused to train in Harare in protest over unpaid match fees.
ZC recently offered central contracts to only 16 players and is said to have slashed office staff salaries as it bids to keep its head above water.
There are uncertainties over the domestic season whose dates are yet to be advised.
This follows ZC‘s decision to shelve the Zimbabwe Premier League after only three rounds of action.
As things get worse by the day, ZC continues to hunt for a coach to replace Dave Whatmore while convener of selectors Tatenda Taibu has revealed plans to lure some former players back into the Chevrons fold.
