Email Us Forum Mail Article Print Article

England to tour Zimbabwe

Sunday, April 11 2004

The England Cricket Board (ECB) have decided to go ahead on their tour of Zimbabwe later this year according to their chairman David Morgan.

Increasing fears of monetary fines imposed by the ICC have forced England to tour. They also ran the risk of losing their status as hosts of the ICC Champions Throphey in September.

Morgan explained there were few reasons to cancel the tour and spoke of penalties would have taken place by the ICC: "The only way that I can see us not fulfilling the tour is either because of government directive or because of safety and security. And let me emphasise we don't see them as being issues at the moment."

"I have little doubt that if without acceptable non-compliance we decided not to go, the members of the ICC would find it necessary to ensure that we paid an appropriate financial penalty."

Morgan's comments come as a major boast for Zimbabwean cricket in the wake of the sacking of inspirational captain and all-rounder Heath Streak and the sacking of up to a dozen white players as a result of a dispute between players and the Zimbabwe Cricket Union.

The British government had been against the tour of Zimbabwe in protest of Robert Mugabe's regime, but hadnt ordered the tours to be cancelled.

Morgan further added:"Despite having a lot of support and encouragement, there was a clear message from the nine other full members [of the ICC], the three representatives of the associate countries and the president and chief executive that we should tour Zimbabwe unless [our] government tells [us] not to go or it's unsafe, which would be acceptable non-compliance."

Posted by Craig