Zimbabwe player pay talks could be delayed

Zimbabwe Cricket will in the next week start negotiating contracts with players, but the process may be held up after the board reportedly reneged on an agreement to pay the fees of Clive Field, the players' representative.

Earlier in the year, ZC advised the rebel players, through a reconciliatory ad hoc committee, to elect a players' representative with a view to that person negotiating contacts on their behalf. But a month after Field, a Harare business with a law background, was confirmed as the choice of both black and white players at a meeting, ZC has backed down on their earlier promise to pay him.

A source close to the negotiations said the board did not reveal the reason for turning down Field's offer. "What Clive wanted was not exorbitant at all. He is a successful businessman with money resources elsewhere his money and his involvement in cricket is not for monetary rewards. I only hope that for the sake of Zimbabwe cricket, ZC's refusal is not racially motivated because Field was elected by everyone in the players committee, chaired by one of out young players, Mluleki Nkala".

In a memorandum of understanding between the ad hoc committee and the disputing players, agreed in principle by ZC, all parties agreed that ZC fund the entire cost of the players' association in the first year and then 50% thereafter. The costs would include the office of the players' representative. All arrangements were to be made through ZCU's human resources manager, Wilfred Mukondiwa.

The current players' contacts expire before the end of this month, and new ones should be issued before the beginning of the two-Test series with India starting on September 17.