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Striking Zimbabwe players on brink of mediation agreement
Harare, May 08: Striking Zimbabwe white cricketers have reached agreement to accept mediation of their dispute with the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) in principle.
Harare, May 08: Striking Zimbabwe white cricketers have reached agreement to accept mediation of their dispute with the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) in principle.
The 12 players involved have agreed that they want to end the month-long impasse since their captain heath streak was sacked.
The decision was taken after meetings yesterday between their lawyer Chris Venturas and ZCU counterpart Alwyn Pichanick, along with much Masunda, who runs an arbitration organisation.
"We are almost agreed," player Stuart Carlisle said.
"However, there is still need for further discussion amongst us and there are also other pertinent issues. We are hopeful of a resolution to this before long," he added.
They will now almost certainly be available for the second Test match against Sri Lanka, which begins on Friday in Bulawayo. However, their preliminary decision needs to be finalised among them formally and they are to meet once again on Monday.
Another player, Trevor Gripper, said: "We still want to go to arbitration, and mediation would be a means to that end. This decision of ours is not set in stone. We have not changed out stance on this issue at all. Arbitration is legal binding and that's the objective and that's what we really want."
ZCU chairman Peter Chingoka declined to comment, except to say that no letter had been received from the players' lawyer.
Chief executive Vincent Hogg said: "Typically they have gone public without coming to us first. But let us hope we can now resolve this problem. I certainly look forward to that."
The cause of the impasse was streak's sacking on April 02 which followed his demand for changes to the selection panel.
The players continued to demand his reinstatement as well as the changes he wanted. The ZCU insisted neither issue was open for discussion.
Bureau Report
The decision was taken after meetings yesterday between their lawyer Chris Venturas and ZCU counterpart Alwyn Pichanick, along with much Masunda, who runs an arbitration organisation.
"We are almost agreed," player Stuart Carlisle said.
"However, there is still need for further discussion amongst us and there are also other pertinent issues. We are hopeful of a resolution to this before long," he added.
They will now almost certainly be available for the second Test match against Sri Lanka, which begins on Friday in Bulawayo. However, their preliminary decision needs to be finalised among them formally and they are to meet once again on Monday.
Another player, Trevor Gripper, said: "We still want to go to arbitration, and mediation would be a means to that end. This decision of ours is not set in stone. We have not changed out stance on this issue at all. Arbitration is legal binding and that's the objective and that's what we really want."
ZCU chairman Peter Chingoka declined to comment, except to say that no letter had been received from the players' lawyer.
Chief executive Vincent Hogg said: "Typically they have gone public without coming to us first. But let us hope we can now resolve this problem. I certainly look forward to that."
The cause of the impasse was streak's sacking on April 02 which followed his demand for changes to the selection panel.
The players continued to demand his reinstatement as well as the changes he wanted. The ZCU insisted neither issue was open for discussion.
Bureau Report