Pycroft quits as selector, Zimbabwe’s crisis deepens
Wednesday, March 12 2003 19:20 Hrs (IST)

Bloemfontein: Zimbabwe selector Andy Pycroft said on Wednesday he had quit his post as a selector after he had not been consulted about the make-up of the team to play New Zealand in the country's opening Super Six match.

"I wasn't even consulted or contacted prior to the New Zealand match," said Pycroft who was commentating on television during Zimbabwe's Super Six clash against Kenya on Wednesday.

"The only explanation I was given was that the other selectors could not contact me. That's ridiculous. Everybody knows where I am. I'm not staying in the same hotel as the other selector here but I'm only 100 yards away."

And Pycroft added that ahead of this match, the team that he, as well as selector Stephen Mangongo, coach Geoff Marsh and captain Heath Streak had chosen, was rejected by the four other members of the panel back in Zimbabwe.

"The side we picked was not accepted back home. The side was basically being picked from 3,000km away. If that's the case, then what's the point of continuing," said Pycroft, himself a former Zimbabwe captain and convenor of selectors.

"I was asked to come back on the panel because the players thought they needed that cricketing credibility (convenor Ali Shah is the only other member of the six strong comittee to have played senior international cricket for Zimbabwe)."

Pycroft could only watch as Zimbabwe slumped to 133 all out in a match they must win to keep their World Cup campaign alive but insisted his own resignation had not contributed to the team's alarming slump against Kenya - a side they have never lost to in 14 previous One-day Internationals.

"The question is have I unsettled the side?" said Pycroft. "But I suggest to you that the players are unsettled because of the very issues I have resigned about."

Turning to Zimbabwe's dire batting performance, Pycroft said, "It was a slow pitch but you should still get 200 on it. The players were slow to realise that. It looked like they were aiming at 280."

Copyright AFP 2001

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