Zimbabwe to remain out of test cricket
The International Cricket Council (ICC) says Zimbabwe’s return to Test cricket could be at least six months to two years away.
A team headed by West Indies Cricket Board president Julian Hunte presented an interim report to the ICC’s board on Saturday following a visit to Zimbabwe by Hunte and ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat in November.
“Pending submission of that final report, the board was told that none of the stakeholders spoken to during the visit were of the view that Zimbabwe was ready to return to Test cricket, with time frames proposed ranging from six months to two years or more,” the ICC said in a statement.
Zimbabwe has not played Test cricket since 2006. In August, Zimbabwe withdrew from this year’s World Twenty20 tournament in England.
Zimbabwe was replaced by Scotland for the tournament in June.
The African country pulled out because the British government would not grant visas in protest of Robert Mugabe claiming victory in a widely discredited presidential election last year. The England and Wales Cricket Board has also cut ties with Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe Cricket Union chairman Peter Chingoka was replaced at the Perth meetings by Wilfred Mukondiwa, who was listed in an ICC release on the meetings as an alternate for Chingoka.
Chingoka, a supporter of Mugabe, was banned from visiting Australia by the federal government as part of sanctions against the Mugabe regime.
© AP 2013
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February 2nd 2009 @ 6:11pm
drewster said | February 2nd 2009 @ 6:11pm | Report comment
Although I am not a great supporter of sport being used as a political tool, It seems strange to me that sporting bodies still have ties with Zimbabwe. Is the ICC that blind as to what goes on in that country under Mugabe’s dictatorship. Andy Flower and Henry Olonga both made a statement of protest in the world cup in South Africa ( Who were banned for twenty years)and knew they could not go back there.
If the ICC are to entertain Zimbabwe cricket then maybe they should look at them playing against 2nd XI sides from other countries like Australia, South Africa, India etc. At least then you would get some kind of measurement as to where they are at and if they would be competitive at the highest level.