Pace spearhead Glenn McGrath remains hopeful Australia will play Zimbabwe’s strongest team amid a damaging standoff between the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) and 15 rebel cricketers.
Twelve Zimbabwe cricketers are to sue the ZCU after being sacked on Monday and will issue a writ in a few days alleging breach of contract.
An ultimatum was given to the players three weeks ago by ZCU chairperson Peter Chingoka, who told them if they didn’t resume practice and make themselves available for selection by May 7, action would be taken against them.
A statement issued by the ZCU on Monday said the sacking was because the players had failed to respect the ultimatum.
The escalation of the dispute increases the prospects of Australia playing a second-string Zimbabwe side on the tour comprising two Tests and three one-day internationals.
But McGrath remained optimistic on Tuesday of a resolution before the first Test in Harare on May 22.
”You always hope they will come to some sort of agreement. There’s a few days left,” McGrath said as the Australians continued pre-tour preparations in Brisbane. ”We’d prefer to play the best team available and hopefully that’s Streaky [former captain Heath Streak] and the boys.
”If not there’s not much we can do about it but we’re still hoping that things will turn out well.”
McGrath ruled out the Australians doing anything in support of the sacked players ”at the moment”.
”It is a tough one and the way the regulations are with the ICC [International Cricket Council] I don’t think we have any grounds to sort of warrant that. We’ll just go over there and see what happens.”
McGrath said he believed Zimbabwe officials would want their strongest team facing Australia.
”For Australia to tour there I think is a pretty big thing for Zimbabwe cricket and I’d hope they’d want to put the best team they can on the park to play us,” he said.
The Zimbabweans are likely to field another severely weakened team for the second Test against Sri Lanka later this week. — Sapa-AFP