ZC confident in Taylor, Jarvis
ZIMBABWE Cricket are optimistic on the return to the international game of pace bowler Kyle Jarvis as well as top batsman Brendan Taylor with negotiations going on smoothly.
Faisal Hasnain, the ZC managing director, said they were proceeding with caution as the two players are still employed by their respective English counties.
Jarvis turns out for Lancashire while Taylor is at Nottinghamshire.
“We are in discussions with both players, they are very much employed by their English counties at the moment. They are both reasonable, both sides conducting the negotiations in good faith, it’s work in progress.
‘‘There are no deadlines, we have amicable chats. Whatever we do we have to be cognisant of the fact that they are contracted to their English counties,’’ Hasnain said.
With the English county cricket season only due to come to a conclusion at the end of this month, any deal with the two players is expected to be concluded after that.
Jarvis quit international cricket in August 2013 to take up a Kolpak deal with Lancashire.
Taylor turned his back on Zimbabwe after the 2015 Cricket World Cup and joined Nottinghamshire also on a Kolpak agreement.
In May 2003, the European Court of Justice handed down a ruling in favour of Maroš Kolpak, a Slovak handball player.
It declared that citizens of countries which have signed European Union Association Agreements have the same right to freedom of work and movement within the EU as EU citizens.
However, a player signed by an English county side gives up their right to play international cricket since they would have been engaged as a non-foreigner.
For this reason, Jarvis and Taylor have to give up their county cricket contracts in order to represent Zimbabwe in international cricket.
With the lure of next year’s International Cricket Council World Cup qualifiers, chances are high Jarvis and Taylor will make an international cricket comeback.
Meanwhile, the Government has provided guarantees required for Zimbabwe to be considered as the host country for next year’s 2019 ICC World Cup qualifiers.
Minister of Sport and Recreation, Makhosini Hlongwane gave the assurances to the ICC at the end of last month.
“I did provide the guarantees, I am told the matter is resolved,’’ said Hlongwane.
Shashank Manohar, the ICC chairman, came to Zimbabwe to seek a commitment from the Government for the World Cup qualifiers.
He met with Vice-Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko as well as Hlongwane.
ZC chairman, Tavengwa Mukuhlani, said they were now waiting for next month’s ICC board meeting where an announcement will be made on which country gets to host the qualifiers.
ZC with support from Cricket South Africa put in a bid for the 10-team tournament to be staged in the country which if successful should enhance Zimbabwe’s chances of being at the 2019 World Cup in England. Zimbabwe’s challenge in hosting the tournament is from United Arab Emirates as well as a joint bid by Ireland and Scotland.