Zimbabwe Cricket sack Mangongo

Today's Zimbabwe Independent has reported that Zimbabwe Cricket have sacked Stephen Mangongo, the Zimbabwe A coach, for the second time in two years.

In 2004, Mangongo was suspended by the board after being accused of issues within Takashinga Cricket Club, where he is the club chairman. He was subsequently reinstated to take joint charge of the A team with Andy Pycroft.

The newspaper claimed that Mangongo's latest fall out stemmed from his inability to work with Kevin Curran, the national coach, whose appointment was the subject of opposition from players. Mangongo was close to many of the team, and also to the stakeholders who opposed the peter Chingoka-led board.

As a coach, Mangongo was credited with bringing on a number of leading black players - including Tatenda Taibu and Hamilton Masakadza - and for a time was a national selector.

Mangongo's dismissal was confirmed by Wilfred Mukondiwa, ZC's human resources manager. "I can confirm that at the inaugural meeting of the interim board on January 18, the board resolved to appoint Andy Pycroft as Zimbabwe A coach as part of the restructuring exercise," he told the Independent. "The board then decided that the appointment of Pycroft alone was adequate. It took time for that decision to be confirmed."