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| December 10, 2002 | Tuesday | Shawwal 5,1423 |
ICC’s verdict on Zimbabwe next week
LONDON, Dec 9: The International Cricket Council (ICC) is expected to announce its decision on whether to go ahead with staging World Cup matches in Zimbabwe by “the middle of this month”, a spokesman for the sport’s global governing body told AFP here Monday.
Last month an ICC delegation led by chief executive Malcolm Speed and containing representatives from the six countries - England, Australia, India, Pakistan, Holland and Namibia - due to play World Cup matches against joint-hosts Zimbabwe visited the country to assess its security arrangements.
Their report is due to be presented to the 15 members of the ICC executive board by this Friday, the spokesman said.
“There was always a 10-day timeframe in mind from the third day of the inspection on Nov 29,” the spokesman explained.
“We would hope to announce a decision by the middle of the month.” he added.
The board is made up of chief executives from the 10 Test playing nations and three from the associate or junior members who are currently represented by the Netherlands, Kenya and Malaysia plus the ICC president Malcolm Gray and his fellow Australian Speed.
But of the 15-man board, six were members of the inspection team, which increases the chances of a quick decision.
In any case the ICC will have to make its mind up on Zimbabwe soon because, with the World Cup due to start on February 8, there is not much time left to reschedule matches in the event that fixtures are moved elsewhere.
South Africa is staging the bulk of World Cup ties with Zimbabwe’s games split three apiece between the capital Harare and Bulawayo.
Kenya’s Nairobi Gymkhana club is also set to host two first round encounters.
Earlier Monday, the ICC’s development officer for Africa, Micky Dudhia, said he foresaw no problems with playing matches in Zimbabwe.
“I don’t think there are any hitches in holding World Cup matches and Pakistan team’s safe tour last month has cleared any doubts,” Dudhia told AFP in Lahore where he had been attending an ICC development committee meeting that concluded Sunday.
“It would be a huge disappointment if any team refuses to play in Zimbabwe because there are no problems for cricket,” added Dudhia, who is also the ICC-host liaison for the World Cup.
Zimbabwe has come under international scrutiny over the forcible eviction of white farmers, who owned more than 30 percent of the country’s most fertile land before the policy to move them was launched in 2000 with President Robert Mugabe’s blessing.
Pakistan played two Tests and five one-day games in Zimbawbe last month.
India, Kenya, Namibia and Pakistan have shown no hesitation at playing in Zimbabwe, but Australia and England, whose governments have attacked Mugabe’s policies, have voiced concern.
Speed has made clear that member countries would have to abide by any ICC decision on whether to play in Zimbabwe.
Australia cancelled an April tour of Zimbabwe citing security fears.
“What we understand is that Australian players were willing to play in Zimbabwe but were not cleared by insurance people,” Dhudia said.
He also said the potential problem of issuing Zimbabwean visas to journalists covering the Cup would be “solved soon.”
Two British journalists were denied visas to cover the ICC’s inspection visit after they refused to accept a clause barring them from reporting on anything but cricket.—AFP
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