(Rex Clementine reporting from Bulawayo)

The Sri Lankan cricket team that left the island on Thursday (15th of April) stayed in Dubai overnight and then flew back to Johannesburg and reached Bulawayo yesterday afternoon. Zimbabwe is already a country plagued by controversies and it has suffered further low points during the last few weeks, which makes the cricket series a very much a low key affair.

During their five week stay, Sri Lanka will play a total of five ODIs and two Test matches; the only aspect that gives attention to the series is the world record of 520 wickets waiting Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan. The off-spinner is seven wickets short of going pass Jamaican Courtney Walsh and possibly could reach the feet in the first Test Match in Harare.

The recent crisis that has hit Zimbabwean cricket means that the 520th victim could be Brendon Taylor or Edward Raisnford, total newcomers instead of the sacked Stuart Carlisle or Grant Flower.

Zimbabwe has attracted controversial headlines in recent times whether it is cricket or politics. While Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe’s controversial land reform policies from white farmers of the country have been highly criticized by the west, in cricketing terms, the country has gone through tough times with a host of white players leaving in disgust with the administration.

In recent times, England and Australia have either boycotted or shown their reluctance to tour the country due to political reasons. Zimbabwe is preparing to celebrate 24 years of independence and speeches of President Robert Mugabe could be seen in the television. The most famous of the speeches is the president’s strong rebuke at Britain where he says, "Mr. Blair you look after your England and I will look after my Zimbabwe."

Zimbabwe are tottering in ICC rankings and at the moment they are only ahead of the lowly Bangladesh. About four years back they were a serious side and could beat them any side on their day. The problems really started for the African nation after the 1999 World Cup when Murray Goodwin and Neil Johnson, two important players in their line up left the country, not seeing eye to eye with the administration. While Goodwin left to Western Australia Johnson went back to South Africa to play domestic cricket.

With the administrators prompting to give prominence to a quota policy to accommodate black and coloured players in the sides like in South Africa, the whites were at a receiving end to a certain extent. While players like Paul and Brian Strang fell out of favour the same fate fell on Guy and Andrew Whittal like upon Alistair Campbell. Their removals looked more on political grounds than on form.

The real heart break came when Andy Flower, probably the best batsman produced by the country decided to step down after last year’s World Cup, while still playing well. Along with Flower, Henry Olonga, the first black to play for Zimbabwe, too was forced to quit after wearing black arm bands during a World Cup game. Both the players never returned to the country after tournament. While Flower decided to play domestic cricket in Australia and England, Olonga spoke about concentrating in a career involving music.

After negotiations failed with the rebel white players, Zimbabwe will field a new look side. While Zimbabwe were already a weakened team the departure of a host of white players is sure to make the series a low key affair. However, the squad announced by the selectors for the ODIs is not an all black team. The team includes young white players like Brendon Taylor and Edward Rainsford, both of whom represented the country in the recent under 19 World Cup in Bangladesh. Altogether there are five players who played in the Under 19 World Cup.

Although the Zimbabwean Cricket Union (ZCU) remedied some of the concerns of the rebel players they felt the compromise was hardly sufficient. Speaking at a media briefing in Harare, ZCU Chairman Peter Chingoka stated that as requested by the players the selection panel had been brought down to four, removing two selectors, one of whom had no cricket experience at all. The committee announced had two first class players a coach as the convenor with Mpumelelo Mbangwa making up as the fourth selector.

The ZCU announced that the players’ demands had been entertained and ordered them to attend practice sessions in Harare, for which none of the rebel players turned up. While Streak returned to his farm in Bulawayo, instead of practices in Harare, Flower held talks with his lawyers to determine what actions he should pursue.

The players’ side of the story to not attend practices was that their major demand where they requested Heath Streak to be reinstated as captain had not been welcomed. The problems started when Streak raised his concerns with the ZCU about the composition of the selection panel. Streak indicated that he might have to step down if the ZCU didn’t heed to his requests, but it was exposed as if Streak had rendered his resignation from captaincy. Certainly the problems that have erupted since then haven’t helped Zimbabwean cricket.

The Sri Lankan cricketers, fresh from a tough series against World Champions Australia, would find it hard to motivate themselves when they see the opposition. While a local journalist suggested that Muralitharan would open bowling for Sri Lanka, Dr. Zoysa, a Sri Lankan who’s residing in Zimbabwe for the last 21 years was more optimistic and suggested that this is a good opportunity for the Sri Lankan to create some records. It is. And mind you the Aussies are scheduled to tour the country soon after Sri Lanka.