The Sunday News
ZIMBABWE national Under-19 coach Walter Chawaguta was dropped under suspicious circumstances as Zimbabwe A coach by Zimbabwe Cricket at the last minute ahead of the team’s tour of Bangladesh.
Chawaguta was axed from the travelling party a few days before the team’s departure for Bangladesh with the less experienced national team acting assistant coach Mufaro Chiturumani taking charge of the second string national team.
Chiturumani was acting assistant national team coach to Stephen Mangongo during the recently concluded triangular series against Australia and South Africa.
Chawaguta was axed ahead of the Bangladesh tour despite the fact that he had worked with the Zimbabwe A side for months ahead of the trip. The tour had initially been set for June but had to be postponed due to the heavy rains in the Asian country.
What must be painful for Chawaguta is the fact that his visa application had already been made to the Bangladesh High Commission in Harare. The visas were set to be issued to all members of the team on arrival in Bangladesh.
Since there is not much activity in a season for Zimbabwe A, there is no permanent coach for the team but Chawaguta had been the man in charge of the team for a while.
The official explanation given by ZC media and communications manager, Lovemore Banda was that ZC have assigned the national team assistant coach to work with Zimbabwe A for stability.
“We have no permanent coach for Zimbabwe A so it was felt that there was a need for continuity with the national team acting assistant coach Mufaro Chiturumani assigned to Zimbabwe A. Walter Chawaguta was told that he was no longer travelling when the changes were made,’’ said Banda.
Chawaguta could not comment on the saga.
A source close to the former national team coach revealed that Chawaguta was pushed out because he was not in good books with Mangongo and convener of selectors Givemore Makoni. The duo is alleged to be becoming increasingly influential in national cricket circles.
The source pointed out that while Chawaguta together with Mangongo and Makoni were founding members of Takashinga Cricket Club in Highfields, Harare, he (Chawaguta) has since dissociated himself from the club because he did not agree with the way the duo were doing things.
“Typical politicians, they lie with a straight face, why was he(Chawaguta) then allowed to coach the team for three months,’’ said the source in response to Banda’s claims.
Zimbabwe A left the country for Bangladesh last Tuesday where they will play against Bangladesh A in two four-day matches and three 50 over matches. The tour runs from 14 September up to 1 October.
Ex-national team wicketkeeper Wayne James was last month chopped as a national team selector for disagreeing in a selection meeting with Mangongo and Makoni who wanted to drop two of the country’s most experienced batsmen Brendan Taylor and Hamilton Masakadza for the third ODI against South Africa at Queens Sports in Bulawayo. Even though Taylor was omitted for the match, Masakadza was spared.
James was further stripped of his membership of the ZC’s Cricket Committee with no reasons advanced for his removal from the two posts.
