Looking back at Zimbabwe cricket in the 1980s and early 1990s, it does not seem that there was a top heavy administration. From what I can tell most of the administrators, selectors, players and even the coach (one Mr. Townshend (ex B.A.C. Bulawayo)) were all part-time. Most of the players had jobs - if I recall correctly, Heath Streak was a professional hunter, Eddo Brandes a chicken farmer and John Rennie, I think, was a travel agent.
I think the problem here is that as Zimbabwe cricket improved a bit it gained more fixtures and was able to appoint some permanent personnel as a bit more money was coming in - i.e. Players did not have to stage BAKE SALES to fund their trips to the worlds cup!
We all know that politics then stuffed the development of the country up, but importantly, people who had no knowledge of cricket started becoming administrators. The money was totally wasted on them and we then developed a
bloated administrational structure - which we still have.
The bald facts are that full-time administrators are NOT required. We have not evolved in the way other cricket nations have - we can't afford many centrally contracted players. Our cricket participation as a percentage of the population is too low, and there are not enough viewers either. Simply put most Zimbabweans are un-interested in cricket! Hence there is no money in it.
To sort the finances out we basically have to shut down Zimbabwe Cricket and revert most players to amateur status with a few centrally contracted players to beef up the National team. It basically needs to be run as a business - not as a cricket team.
The other option would be to ASK to South Africa is we could be come a de-facto cricket colony again, fielding a couple of city or province-based franchises in their 20/20 and other leagues. E.g. Cape Cobras vs Mat'land Tuskers.
The negatives to that plan are that most provinces would lose out.