HARARE, July 18: An internal row has once again emerged inside Zimbabwean cricket, with black clubs in Midlands province breaking away from Midlands Cricket Association to form a rebel association after disputed elections last week ushered in new chairman Tim Savory, according to Zimbabwe’s daily Independent. The paper reported that four black clubs were barred from voting in elections after outgoing board turned down their application for affiliation.

The clubs were refused a vote after failing to submit their applications for affiliation within 21 days of annual general meeting.

The clubs are said to have been advised by outgoing MCA chairman Hemant Patel, to draft and submit constitutions “acceptable” to MCA before they could be affiliated. The clubs, save for one, did not meet the criteria.

There are suspicions that some top Zimbabwe Cricket officials have been fuelling divisions in the province to settle scores with certain personalities within militant Midlands cricket leadership, and this could be driving force behind latest quarrel in the province.

MCA has been one of the fiercest critics of ZC policy, and still refuses to recognise new re-branded national body following last year’s change of name.—Agencies