The Sunday News
Senior Sports Reporter
MATABELELAND Tuskers administrator Stanley Staddon has defended a decision to give a full contract to national cricket team batsman Craig Ervine ahead of loyal, deserving youngsters from last season. Ervine was given a full season’s contract by Tuskers despite the fact that he had walked away from the local game in April 2013. And even when he made himself available for national team selection, Tuskers were aware that he would spend most of the time on international assignments. Tuskers are yet to fully enjoy the benefits of contracting Ervine, as the player was selected for Zimbabwe’s lengthy tour of Bangladesh at the end of last year, and is currently with the national team at the ongoing International Cricket Council Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Ervine has only appeared in Tuskers colours at the three Pro50 Championship fixtures this season, and with Zimbabwe’s last match at the World Cup on 14 March against India, he will play a few matches for the Bulawayo-based franchise before the conclusion of the season at the end of this month.
Asked why Ervine was not issued with an Earn as you Play deal, Staddon said the left handed batsman was deemed better than the other players who were not given contracts.
“Craig Ervine is on a full contract at Tuskers and was given a contract ahead of others as those doing the grading considered him as a better player than those who were not given the contracts. This is with no disrespect to the others who are very good young and up-and-coming players. Yes, he is currently not available to Tuskers because of national duty,’’ said Staddon.
Staddon disclosed that they initially intended to give out 13 contracts but the players refused to sign. The players’ representative asked that the deals be revisited and the money offered upped. However, some of them lost out on agreements with only 10 being given in the end.
It has turned out that some of the youngsters like left-handed top order batsman Nkosana Mpofu who played well last season, was one of those youngsters who did not get a contract. Mpofu, on an Earn as you Play arrangement, has appeared in all the six Logan Cup and seven Pro50 Championship fixtures played by Tuskers this season. What comes as a surprise is why Mpofu was not given a contract while Ervine was put on an Earn as you Play since it was known from the onset that the latter was going to be away most of the time on national duty.
Mpofu was the third leading run scorer for Tuskers last season with 309 runs at an average of 28.09 with a best score of an unbeaten 130 runs against Southern Rocks. Only Brian Chari and Godwill Mamhiyo scored more runs than him.
Besides Mpofu, other young players who lost out on full deals at Tuskers despite carrying the team through a difficult outing last season were Bruce Sibanda, Kevin Kandala, Tony Mupariwa and Dalubuhle Mboyi.
