/ 18 May 2004

Zimbabwe suspension ‘not on the radar’

International Cricket Council (ICC) president Ehsan Mani said on Monday that suspending Zimbabwe from international cricket was ”not on the radar” despite the ongoing player dispute in the troubled African state.

Mani also revealed that ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed had flown to Harare for talks with the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU).

When asked by reporters at Lord’s if suspending Zimbabwe was an option, he replied: ”No. Zimbabwe are a full member of the ICC and they will be treated the same way as any other member.”

Zimbabwe’s team has been rocked by the axeing of 15 white players, many of them senior cricketers, including former captain Heath Streak, admist claims that the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) is operating a quota-based selection policy.

A severely weakened Zimbabwe side went down to a huge innings and 254 run Test defeat against Sri Lanka on Monday in Bulawayo.

Sri Lanka took the two match series 2-0 after a similarly crushing innings and 240 run win in Harare last week.

Mani, speaking at the launch of the ICC’s Champions Trophy one-day tournament due to take place in England in September, said the world governing body had been monitoring the situation in Zimbabwe.

”There’s been a lot going on behind the scenes. We’ve been in very close and intense dialogue with the ZCU,” Mani said.

”We are concerned about the integrity of Test cricket,” the Pakistani insisted.

”They (the ZCU) are having a board meeting later today [Monday] and Malcolm is meeting with them tomorrow. There may be some developments we can report then.

”We just wanted to make sure Malcolm Speed was there so there were no misunderstandings about the views of the ICC and its members as far as the ZCU were concerned.

Mani, speaking before Zimbabwe’s latest defeat, added: ”Obviously the concern all round the world is the integrity of Test cricket.

”If you lose your top players it’s going to undermine any team.

Once it starts impacting on international cricket becomes a concern for ICC and all its members.

But he insisted: ”Suspension is not on the radar at all. Zimbabwe is a full member so we’ve got to respect that but within the confines of our rules and regulations we also have the duty to protect cricket.”

England have come under intense political pressure to withdraw from their September tour of Zimbabwe in protest at the policies of President Robert Mugabe.

However, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chiefs have repeatedly stressed that they risk bankruptcy if they refuse to tour on moral grounds.

According to regulations drawn up by the ICC earlier this year, England could face a one-year suspension from international cricket and a fine of two million dollars if they decline to tour.

But Mani played down talk of an England ban. ”That’s speculation England have never said they will not go [to Zimbabwe].

”The main thing to remember is that the ECB has accepted that safety and security will be the only grounds not to go unless there is a clear direction from government.

”If there are political considerations only right politicians should make those decisions. If we start looking selectively at political issues we will get into a terrible mess.”

Mani said that any withdrawal by England on safety and security grounds would be assessed by the ICC’s own experts. – Sapa-AFP