Zimbabwe cricketers ready to throw upcoming series in 'jeopardy' over non-payment of salaries

Zimbabwe’s national cricket players have threatened to put the upcoming tri-series with Australia and Pakistan in “serious jeopardy” if they are not given clarity over pending dues till 16 May. The nationally-contracted players have reportedly hired a prominent lawyer, Gerald Mlotshwa, to take up their case. [caption id=“attachment_4466115” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Zimbabwe’s national cricketers have not been paid for two months. AFP[/caption] Zimbabwe’s players have not been paid their match fees since the tour of Sri Lanka last July. They have also not received salaries for past two months. In a letter addressed to Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) and copied to Ministry of Sport and the International Cricket Council (ICC), Mlotshwa has given ZC until noon on Wednesday (16 May) to provide a written undertaking as to when the outstanding money will be paid. “There has been no lawful explanation, or justification, whatsoever as to why these amounts are outstanding, and more importantly, when exactly the said amounts, many months in arrears, will be paid,” reads the letter. Further, it calls the ZC stance “unprofessional, unconscionable and indicative of serious underlying governance and financial management shortcomings.” “Each of our clients demand a written undertaking, on or before 12 noon, Wednesday 16th May 2018, from Zimbabwe Cricket as to precisely when all amounts due and payable to them shall be paid in full. Failure to do so will, apart from our clients pursuing such legal remedies as may be available to them, place into serious jeopardy the upcoming Triangular Series in July 2018.” The letter, dated 9 May, also warns ZC against attempts to intimidate the players. The immediate cause of the financial crisis in ZC is ICC’s lack of interest in board’s request for an advance amount. The next significant cash disbursement is likely to happen in July.