02 May 2004	Sunday	11 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425

HARARE, May 1: A physical incident between Zimbabwe national selector Stephen Mangongo and director Ozias Bvute has caused a scandal in Zimbabwe cricket, it emerged on Friday.

The incident happened outside ZCU chairman Peter Chingoka's executive rooms at Harare Sports Club just after the fifth and final One-day International between Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka on Thursday.

There were several officials, guests and security staff standing nearby who watched in astonishment at what was certainly some heavy pushing and shoving between the two men.

One ZCU official, who did not want to be named, said that he was told by several different people who were there that punches had been thrown.

Witnesses at the scene said that the argument between Mangongo and Bvute was about selection of the team for the first Test against Sri Lanka, which starts here on Thursday next week.

It centred on whether the striking white players, who were due to return to practice, would take the majority of team places. Mangongo thought it should be about eight, according to those standing nearby, and Bvute advocated not more than three or four.

The argument became heated, resulting in what some people saw as blows, but what Mangongo and Bvute recall as a "physical confrontation."

The two ZCU figures issued a joint statement later through the ZCU.

They said: "There were pertinent issues on the agenda and both of us held divergent views on those issues. In the heat of the argument obviously voices would be raised but the point remains that we were each trying to push home our point.

"It is not true that punches were thrown and we can categorically say that whatever physical confrontation there was did not amount to fisticuffs. The relationship between us remains cordial as it has always been."

Twelve of the 15 white players who have been effectively on strike for the last four weeks turned up for fitness tests followed by practice under national coach Geoff Marsh on Friday.

The other three, Richard Sims, Neil Ferreira and Charles Coventry, are in England discussing contracts with various clubs.

The white players, who are trying to get former captain Heath Streak reinstated and changes made to the national selection panel, had promised to practice while the ZCU considers their new proposals for a deal, submitted in a letter on Tuesday.

They have given the Union until Tuesday to accept these, or they will quit practice, according to senior professional Grant Flower.-AFP