DURBAN, Dec 13: Zimbabwe’s players have welcomed support from their international counterparts in their battle with their board but remain sceptical that it will help them bring change to the game in their country.

The Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) and the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) have questioned the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) reaction to the crisis in Zimbabwe, where high profile players have accused officials of mismanagement.

“The game’s handling of the present Zimbabwean issue has disillusioned and disappointed the majority of players around the world,” FICA chief executive Tim May said in a media statement on Tuesday.

SACA chief executive Tony Irish said in a statement: “In Zimbabwe, cricket is in tatters. Surely we should be hearing the ICC’s voice in relation to the standards and behaviour of those administering the game in that country?”

Zimbabwe players’ representative Clive Field accepted May’s and Irish’s support with mixed feelings. “We have a delinquent administration that seems to bunker down even more when it is criticised,” Field said from Harare.

“I doubt this will cause shock waves in Zimbabwe but it might help that they know that the players in the rest of the world are concerned for their Zimbabwean brethren.”

Field made clear his frustration with the ICC. “We were concerned a week ago that we didn’t want to upset any applecarts at the ICC but increasingly it seems to be clear that they aren’t going to do an awful lot in the short term,” he said.

Former Zimbabwe captain Tatenda Taibu cited administrative mismanagement and corruption as his main reason for quitting the game in his country last month.—Reuters