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| March 31, 2003 | Monday | Muharram 27, 1424 |
ECB in talks to avoid Zimbabwe repeat
LONDON, March 30: The English Cricket Board (ECB) is to talk to other major sports in a bid to avoid a repetition of the Zimbabwe World Cup controversy, according to the Sunday Telegraph.
The ECB is to present a document to the Football Association (FA), Rugby Football Union (RFU) and the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) on April 7 to get early government approval for matches in what the paper described as morally questionable countries.
“We are trying to be prudent and anticipate the sort of problems we had in Zimbabwe if anything good is to come out of this debilitating saga,” John Read, the ECB’s head of corporate affairs, told the paper.
“We think it could be a useful mechanism.”
Under the proposals, a ruling body would receive approval from the government before signing a contract to undertake a fixture with heavy financial liabilities.
England refused to play their cricket World Cup match in Zimbabwe on Feb 13 and forfeited the points, with the ECB now facing legal costs of an estimated two million pounds ($3.13 million).
The British tennis team could face a Davis Cup tie in strife-torn Zimbabwe in September.
England’s cricketers are due to tour Bangladesh next October and could face security problems if anti-British feelings persist as a result of the war in Iraq.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe are confident that England will honour their planned tour of the southern African country in 2004, Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) managing director Vince Hogg told the BBC on Sunday.
The ZCU decided on Saturday to go ahead with a tour of England starting in May, despite England’s boycott of their World Cup match in strife-torn Zimbabwe last month.
“We have assurances that they (England) are looking to tour Zimbabwe in October 2004 and we are looking forward to the tour,” Hogg said.
“England have learnt from their experience,” he added. “They expressed regrets and I’m sure they don’t want a repeat of the World Cup situation.”
Hogg said Zimbabwe were still disappointed by England’s decision not to play their match in Harare.
“We do feel let down,” he said. “We gave every assurance about security and it was proved quite categorically that everything was fine and they could have come to Zimbabwe.”
Zimbabwe are due to play two Tests in England, at Lord’s and Chester-le-Street, Durham, and a one-day tournament against the hosts and South Africa.—Reuters
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