2. An operational plan for 2009 and annually thereafter should be produced and any additional ICC support should be contingent on this framework being provided;
3. There should be an ongoing ICC review of the strategic plan;
4. ZC should review provincial structures to ensure they are adequate and that active clubs are integrated and provincial stakeholders have an understanding of the way the game is organised at local and national level and have formal structures to provide input;
5. It will be in the best interests of cricket in Zimbabwe for ZC to seek to re-engage stakeholders that feel they have been marginalised by the constitutional reform;
6. Review Cricket Committee composition and increase cricket expertise and experience on this Committee (including international playing experience);
7. Ensure selectors have as recent first-class playing experience as possible and involve former international players as selectors;
8. Remove Board Chairmans veto on selection;
9. Formalise the selectors role in the process for appointing the captain by empowering the selectors with responsibility for nominating a captain and vice-captain for the approval of the Board;
10. Decentralisation of responsibilities and funding so that provinces are empowered to administer and grow the game at local level;
11. Better management records and reporting, particularly of participation numbers;
12. A comprehensive review of the ZC HPP by the ICC HP manager;
ZIMBABWE 2008 ICC TASK TEAM – FINAL REPORT (CONFIDENTIAL) Page 18 of 26
13. Schedule more domestic multi-day cricket matches than have been played in the last three seasons;
14. Schedule the first-class competition to spread out over a longer time frame than in the last three seasons;
15. Encourage and attract experienced overseas-based players to return to play in domestic first-class competition;
16. Involvement of overseas teams and/or players in Logan Cup;
17. Domestic competitions should continue when international matches are scheduled;
18. Players should be exposed to get more first-class experience before progressing to the national team;
19. ZC to introduce a policy that outlines the process for awarding player contracts;
20. ZC to continue to make concerted effort to re-integrate departed current and former players into the national team structures;
21. Zimbabwe national or representative team be given the opportunity to participate in ICC Intercontinental Cup 2009/10. The prospect of Zimbabwes return to Test cricket in two years would be enhanced by participation in the ICC Intercontinental Cup and in first-class matches against Full Member representative sides;
22. ICC Full Member A teams to commit to arranging first-class matches against Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe A;
23. Involvement of Zimbabwe representative sides in overseas domestic first-class competitions;
24. ICC Global Cricket Academy coaching staff to be available to provide specialist advice to the national representative teams;
25. ZC to address concerns regarding umpiring standards;
26. ZC establishment needs to improve its relationships with current and former players and prioritise the resolution of long-outstanding disputes;
27. ZC should permit players who so wish to have representatives conduct their contractual negotiations on their behalf;
28. ZC needs to recognise the role that its stakeholders play and to continue with efforts to better-involve them in the affairs of ZC;
29. ZC should develop a clear policy and design schedules where possible to enable players to take advantage of overseas club opportunities but still contribute to local competitions and, by extension, the national team;
30. ZC should decentralise its approach to facilities management and empower local units to take responsibility for local facilities as it will not be possible for ZC to directly maintain all of the countrys cricket facilities from central funds;
31. Decision-making on facilities should focus on those that are most critical to the achievement of the stated cricketing aims of the strategic plan;
32. Proper annual financial planning and budgeting, including longer term strategies to manage financial losses and related business issues;
33. Implementation of the ICC Board resolution from March 2008;
ZIMBABWE 2008 ICC TASK TEAM – FINAL REPORT (CONFIDENTIAL) Page 19 of 26
34. Financial reporting in USD to assist stakeholders, including ICC, in comprehending the financial status of ZC as it relates to the fulfilment of the cricket objectives in its strategic plan; and
35. In accordance with ICC policy, follow-up of the 2007 qualified audited accounts (in terms of IAS 29 Accounting Standard) by ICC management.
16. Acknowledgements and conclusion
16.1 The Task Team would like to thank Zimbabwe Cricket for its support in arranging meetings with a wide range of stakeholders and site visits to cricket facilities in Zimbabwe. It is also grateful to the many stakeholders who found time in their schedules to meet with the Task Team and share their experiences and insights on cricket in Zimbabwe.
16.2 The contents of this report have been considered and unanimously endorsed by all three Members of the Task Team.
Dr. Julian Hunte (Chair), Arjuna Ranatunga and Haroon Lorgat.
Post published in: Cricket