stated that it would not make decisions based on the internal politics of member countries, but it is inconceivable that it will not take any action following the latest developments in this sorry saga.
In the past four years the actions of the Zimbabwe cricket board, and the involvement of the Zimbabwe Government, has led to most of the leading players either retiring from international cricket or going on strike.
Several of the former players – Heath Streak, Andy Flower, Grant Flower, Sean Ervine and Travis Friend – have chosen to pursue careers playing county cricket in England and Zimbabwe.
Clive Field, the players representative told reporters at the weekend: “I think we’re stuffed, more stuffed than we’ve ever been. If this is the bunch that’s going to deliver cricket for the next six months, I don’t know what they are going to deliver at the end of it. I don’t think it’s going to be cricket, it’s going to be a corpse.”
The repercussions did not appear to worry Gibson Mashingaidze, an army brigadier and chairman of the Sports and Recreation Commission. “We are prepared to be chucked out of the Test status,” he said. “They [the striking players] can go to India, Canada or wherever. We are not bothered. The government will not be held to ransom by individuals.”
The ICC has yet to decide how to react to the latest developments, but the subject is certain to be debated at next week’s meeting between the 10 Test-playing nations in Karachi, Pakistan. Zimbabwe are due to tour the West Indies in May and only six members of a national squad of 40 have signed their contracts.
Post published in: Zimbabwe Sports News