Sports Reporter

PREPARATIONS for the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Twenty20 tournament got into disarray on Monday after the two-month-long strike by cricket players continued.
Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) had pencilled a week-long T20 tournament at Harare Sports Club, but players of the five franchises decided to continue their strike.
Players have been on strike since December after the cricket mother-body failed to pay the them their salaries and appearance fees.
The players had agreed to take part in the unbranded T20 tournament ,which failed to attract any sponsorship, after ZC promised their money would be availed on Monday.
However, on Monday the players continued with their strike arguing that their bank balances had not changed.
ZC had managed to persuade the players to take to the field after the cricket mother body’s managing director, Wilfred Mukondiwa and the player representative, Eliah Zvimba took part in a teleconference with ICC chief finance officer, promising to release funds meant to bail out ZC.
The cricket mother body is reeling under an US$18 million debt.
On Wednesday, Patriot Sport went to Harare Sports Club and found a handful of players enjoying a chat in the lounge.
Groundsmen were busy trimming the grass and working on the hard surface.
Zimbabwe are scheduled to take part in the T20 tournament in Bangladesh from March 16 to April 6.
They are in Group B with Ireland, Netherlands and United Arab Emirates (UAE). They play their first match against Ireland.
However, the developments at ZC affect the teams’ match fitness as the players have not been playing any competitive cricket for some time.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe U-19 team are in UAE for the ICC World Cup and play their first match this Friday against Canada.
Zimbabwe will play other countries like Canada, West Indies and Hong Kong.