Vermuelen joins the Mountaineers

[Boundary]

http://dailynews.co.zw/sport/36-sports/ ... eulen.html

HARARE - Emotionally unstable cricketer Mark Vermeulen has been given another chance to revive his flagging career after joining Manicaland Mountaineers from Matabeleland Tuskers, where he was released for disciplinary reasons.

Vermeulen’s chequered disciplinary record reached frightening levels when he was charged with two arson attacks in 2006.

He confessed to setting fire to the Zimbabwe Cricket Academy pavilion and boardroom but was set free by a Harare court in January 2008 on the grounds that he had been suffering psychiatric problems.

In May 2008, Vermeulen apologised and offered to build the academy using a percentage of his earnings if he was allowed to play for Zimbabwe again.

Later in the year, Zimbabwe Cricket unconditionally gave him the selection green light, making a comeback in a series against Bangladesh last August.

At the launch of franchise cricket last season, Vermeulen was offered a contract by Matabeleland Tuskers. But his erratic behaviour again took toll.

He was suspended by the franchise after reacting badly to being given out leg before. He threatened to beat up opposition players in the pavilion for celebrating his dismissal.

During a tour to Bangladesh early this year, he was almost sent back home after smashing a dressing room window with his bat, again in protest against an lbw decision. He was dropped from the national team after that tour.

Last year while watching the final day of the Zimbabwe Open golf tournament at Royal Harare, Vermeulen cut a troubled figure.

“I need a contract, man, I can’t live without cricket,” he told the Daily News. “I’m not B side material.”

He only buoyed up when local favourite Marc Cayeux started moving up on the leaderboard.

“A Zimbabwean must win this tournament!”

Vermeluen is also a keen golfer.

At 31, Vermeulen will be hoping to be in the frame when Zimbabwe resumes Test commitments next May.

Mountaineers spokesman Godfrey Koti said the franchise wants to rehabilitate Vermeulen.

“He has his history, but he is a good man and a good player,” Koti said.

“We want to give him another chance. If you have noticed, we are more of a bowling side. A batsman of his calibre will add value to the team.”

Vermeulen has a history of irrational conduct. In 1996 he was banned from representing Prince Edward High, for walking off with the stumps after receiving a poor lbw decision and locking himself in the changing room.

When Zimbabwe toured England in 2003, he was sent home during the second Test after ignoring a management instruction to travel with the rest of the squad on the bus, instead choosing to leave the ground on his own.

In 2006, he was banned from English first-class and league cricket for 10 years following an on-pitch bust in the Central Lancashire League.

The incident occurred when Vermeulen, playing as a professional for Werneth against Ashton, confronted opposition fans.

A club spokesman narrated the incident: “He got hit for a boundary then bowled wide and someone from the crowd shouted ‘If you take your sunnies off you’II be able to see where you are bowling.’

“At the end of the over he marched towards the boundary and appeared to hurl a ball towards the
spectators. It hit the railings so missed everyone, but it was an end-of-season match with plenty of women and children watching.

“He then picked up a boundary marker, which are white discs with a steel spike, before being stopped by a Werneth member and marched back to the pavilion, still swearing and shouting. He was then driven away from the ground and took no further part in the match,” said the spokesperson.

He returned home to Zimbabwe after the ban, where he approached ZC officials seeking a contract. He did not get a satisfactory response.

Days later, he walked up to the State House main gate, demanding to see President Robert Mugabe. He told the heavily armed guards that he wanted to see “the patron” to “talk about cricket”.

He was arrested. On his release, he went back and repeated his demands to see Mugabe.
A few months later, he set the ZC properties ablaze.

Look he has a troubled history but he's talented and maybe the Mountaineers need to have a special support system for him. If he gets the runs it might be worthwhile. I'm all for redemption.

[sloandog]

Hurrraaahhh !!!!
He's been given a third chance
I'm glad because he's a very talented player and I'd love to see him score some heavy runs this season. Good move from the Mountineers !

[eugene]

Let's hope he can finally clean up his act.

[sloandog]

Let's hope he can finally clean up his act.

Fingers crossed ay

[Dr_Situ(ZimFanatic)]

Great news. He is too talented to loose.Come on Mark