HARARE, Jan 31: Zimbabwe’s national cricket team manager Mohammed “Babu” Meman was sacked by Zimbabwe Cricket authorities on Tuesday after 15 years in the position.

A letter giving him three months notice was delivered to his home. Calling it “a disgrace” Meman went immediately to his lawyer to discuss his termination of service.

He has worked for Zimbabwe Cricket and previously the Zimbabwe Cricket Union for a total of more than 20 years and was previously a selector.

Also sacked Tuesday was former international spin bowler and long time selector Richie Kaschula, who has been employed for several years by ZC as one of its three national selectors.

The other two, Ethan Dube and Macsood Ebrahim, were volunteers, but have stood down.

Kaschula is also consulting a lawyer. He said: “My termination falls under the Labour Relations Act. But this act requires a disciplinary procedure — and I have never been disciplined. This will end up in court.”

Both termination letters gave three months notice plus an enclosed cheque, in Kaschula’s case for 145 million Zimababwe dollars (about 1,000 US dollars).

Meanwhile several days of talks between the ZC Technical and Player Welfare Sub-Committee chairman Crispin Tsvarai and the players’ association representative, Clive Field, appear to have ended in stalemate.

The sides have been meeting to hammer out a solution to the chaos which has seen Zimbabwe suspended from Test matches for the second time in two years.

According to Field, ZC want to pay the money owed - estimated at more than 750,000 US dollars - in local currency, suggesting it would be illegal to do otherwise.

Attorney Beatrice Mtetwa has advised that it was in fact quite legal for the players to hold foreign currency accounts and they are determined to be paid through those.

The Zimbabwe government’s Sports and Recreation Commission had set Tuesday as the deadline for ending the dispute. The players, however, are due to meet later Tuesday.

Field said that attorney Mtetwa plans to issue a summons to ZC on Wednesday demanding full payment for the players, whatever the outcome of their meeting.

They are owed for unpaid Test match and ODI fees plus salaries going back to last August.—AFP