The 15 white cricketers who had their contracts terminated on Monday by the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) for ”absenting themselves from work” will countersue the union for breach of contract.
An advocate is being engaged by their legal representative, Chris Venturas.
”I will serve the writ in the next few days on behalf of all the players. We are going to court over this,” Venturas said.
”We were at a players’ meeting and were just finalising our letter to ZCU, which was a formal agreement to a mediation process and setting out how we saw a timetable, when they dropped this bombshell on us,” he added.
”We were very much aware of the 21-day ultimatum to them to resume practice and make themselves available. In fact that was going to happen tomorrow.”
Three weeks ago, ZCU chairperson Peter Chingoka gave the players until May 7 to give up their dispute and return to training, and at the same time offer themselves for selection ”or face action”.
Despite well-publicised moves by the players preparing to agree to a mediation process — though they hoped this would develop into an arbitration that was legally binding — the ZCU dropped the bombshell just hours before the players were due to submit their letter.
A statement by the ZCU offered any of the players the chance individually to make themselves available. The board of directors said it would ”keep the door open” for any willing and committed players to return to the fold.
Venturas said he felt certain the 12 players would stick together and that none of them would break from the group and take up this offer.
It means that the team to meet Sri Lanka in the second of two Test matches at Bulawayo, starting on Friday, will be similar to the one beaten by an innings and 240 runs in Harare within three days last Saturday.
The ZCU statement said: ”At a board meeting held in Harare on Monday May 10 the ZCU agreed that as of Friday May 7 the dissenting players who have been absent from work have violated the 21-day breach clause as stated in their contracts. As a result the contracts of these 15 players has been terminated.
”ZCU has, through legal counsel, officially informed legal counsel of the 15 players about the termination of their contracts.”
It then goes on to make the offer to players to ask for their jobs back.
”They will be considered subject to their commitment, form and fitness.”
It also invited the players to submit the name of a representative by June 30 ”to assist with any future conflict resolution”.
The 15 players referred to are down to 12 as three are negotiating contracts in England. — Sapa-AP