Zim Cricket snubs Tich Mataz
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...By GETRUDE GUMEDE
Published: June 19, 2009
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The Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has distanced itself from “The Midas Touch” Tichafa Matambanadzo better known as Tich Mataz.“We do not have anything to do with Tich. He is not working with or working for us,” denied the spokesperson for the cricket board Shingai Rhuhwaya.
Highly placed sources within the Cricket Union told The Zimbabwe Telegraph that Mataz had been a hot favorite to get a job with the cricket association after it went on a re branding exercise. Mataz was set to be appointed as one of the five chief executives for its newly created franchises and Matambanadzo was expected to head the Eastern Region.
“Some people within the system thought it was wise to have Mataz as one of the CEOs because of his vast experience in public relations issues and the fact that he is a creative individual. Unfortunately his appointment was stalled because some among us raised the issue of his criminal record and bad publicity he has received in the past few months and so he lost out,” said a source within the Cricket Union.
The source added that the Tich Mataz issue is the reason why the last appointee was for the Eastern Region where Mataz was poised to be the boss.
“At first four regions got CEOs save for the Easterns where Tich was suppose to be. Eventually the job was given to Givemore Makoni,” added the source.
On whether Tich applied for a job with the cricket board Rhuhwaya chose not to comment.
“I wont comment on issues of this nature,” she said.
Advertising executive Hugo Ribatika has been named as CEO for Northerns, the largest franchise based in Harare. Stanley Staddon is in charge of the Westerns, who have requested to change their name to Matabeleland Warriors. Givemore Makoni will be in charge of Southerns, and Kenyon Ziehl is boss at Centrals. Philip Senzani then took over Easterns.
Matambanadzo has a pending fraud at the Harare Magistrates Courts. He is alleged to have defrauded the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe Cricket have adopted a franchise system in which the franchises will administer first class cricket in the country.
The franchises will contract players and will source their own sponsorship in addition to the annual grant from Zimbabwe Cricket.
The establishment of the franchises follows recommendation by the International Cricket Council task team, which visited Zimbabwe last year. The task team said Zimbabwe Cricket should establish franchises in their bid to return to Test cricket.
In March this year, Tich Mataz was arrested, together with his business partner Raymond Tendai Chamba, son of the late legendary radio personality and PR practioner Ephraim Chamba, on allegations of defrauding the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.
At the time allegations were made that Tichafa Matambanadzo was contracted by the central bank to provide hampers for the BACOSSI program (Basic Commodities Supply Side Intervention) but he failed to deliver after taking payment.
Tich was deported from South Africa in 2001 over allegations that he used false identity documents.
Efforts to get hold of Tich drew a blank since he has changed his number two times this year.