Zimbabwean Cricket: Time for The End

[twctopcat]

Economics

Hope your enjoying alison and bernie as much as i did

 

[JASON]

Zimbabwean cricket :Time for The End

Since the ICC, ECB and the British Government seem to be stuck each hoping for the other to act first, there seems to be currently no way out of this.

This may be the time for the PCA (Professional Cricketers Association) to get involved. Cricketers from Australia and England as the countries whose governments are opposed to the corrupt regime in Zim, should take the initiative. If the cricketers from these two countries united and refused sporting contact with Zimbabwe, that will leave ICC with little choice but to re-examine the issue. They may be forced to give an ultimatum to the ZCU to settle this dispute. But this alone is not going to get rid of Mugabe or settle the tour commitments.

Pushing for a two tiered Test System may be a way of getting out of this. Zim and Bangladesh could be put in a second tier with 6 other Associate countries, until they can beat the lowest team in the first tier (currently WI I think is the 8 th team in test standings).

 

[Neil Pickup]

Since the ICC, ECB and the British Government seem to be stuck each hoping for the other to act first, there seems to be currently no way out of this.

This may be the time for the PCA (Professional Cricketers Association) to get involved. Cricketers from Australia and England as the countries whose governments are opposed to the corrupt regime in Zim, should take the initiative. If the cricketers from these two countries united and refused sporting contact with Zimbabwe, that will leave ICC with little choice but to re-examine the issue. They may be forced to give an ultimatum to the ZCU to settle this dispute. But this alone is not going to get rid of Mugabe or settle the tour commitments.

Pushing for a two tiered Test System may be a way of getting out of this. Zim and Bangladesh could be put in a second tier with 6 other Associate countries, until they can beat the lowest team in the first tier (currently WI I think is the 8 th team in test standings).

It's a complete cop-out of a solution - which means the ICC may well go for it.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Hope your enjoying alison and bernie as much as i did

Yup, sure am!

 

[anzac]

Yes, even I share your sentiments.

But as I said Zimbabwe's cricket shouldn't be shunned, for the only reason of the fate of their cricketers, and fans.

Yes, Mugabe has used cricket to portray normalcy, and that deserves a punishment, but I am not sure banning Zimbabwe completely from cricket should be the only option of action.

That being said, I myself cannot come up with any steps that would make an impact apart from a few tours being cancelled.

once you start any action regarding pulling out of tours etc it must be followed thru' - otherwise it becomes nothing more than a token 'jesture' to make everyone feel better about having done something - and who can blame them if it does not make any difference........we've tried our bit so now we will go back to ignoring it in the hope it will go away type thing..........

if any protest is not followed thru' then it simply becomes another battle of wills - one opportunity has already been lost at the WC, then the Commonwealth Heads of Govt blew another, now we are up for round 3 - Mugabe must be sitting back & saying "bring it on - I've already seen what you are made off....." & so far he's got no reason to presume the outcomes will be any different...........

 

[Langeveldt]

I dont think anything much can happen while mad bob is still in power... The politics of sport simply mirror the politics of the country it is operating in...

In order to clean up the former, you must clean up the latter...

And im afraid Mugabe does not give a damn what happens with cricket any more... He doesnt seem to give a damn about more important things like 600% inflation and over 50% unemployment.. So there is little chance the cancellation of a few cricket tours will enter his thoughts...

 

[aussie_beater]

Well this is a highly emotional issue with more political ingredients then cricket, but as someone said that in this situation the two are destined to mix.

I hold a little different view on the situation and have always disagreed to this clamour for banning Zimbabwe from playing cricket by giving the South African( of the 1970s) analogy.I think that analogy is naive at best. South Africa had written laws that institutionalised apartheid. People did not have to believe in media reports of racial discrimination to gauge what was going on, but there were clear laws for every aspect of life that set forth a scheme of racial discrimination including the disenfranchisement of the whole coloured population. So let's not start to compare the two cases. They are a world apart.

The case against Zimbabwe is that its a country run by a ruthless dictator who tries to run things according to his whims and fancies. The country has been pushed to its brink economically and socially by his policies. But aren't there countries around the globe which are run by dictators, playing international sports ? If human rights was an issue then why is China hosting the 2008 olympics ? There are dozens of countries playing football that are run by ruthless dictatorships and have draconian laws to put clamps on basic human rights. Even looking at cricket playing countries you will find that Pakistan is run by a dictator. Religious discrimination against Hindus in Bangladesh is a well known fact.

If a ban has to be imposed on Zimbabwe, Governments need to formulate clear political objectives and implement it as international policy, that is binding on all dealings with Zimbabwe, be it in business or sports or anything else. That was how the ban on South Africa was implemented. I doubt that the situation in Zimbabwe can bring together all nations in such an agreement and till that happens I don't see why cricket boards or the ICC should go ahead and ban any tour. Yes players who have specific concerns or wish to take a moral stance can always opt out of such tours.I believe everyone has a right to do that at a personal level.

 

[Neil Pickup]

If a ban has to be imposed on Zimbabwe, Governments need to formulate clear political objectives and implement it as international policy, that is binding on all dealings with Zimbabwe, be it in business or sports or anything else. That was how the ban on South Africa was implemented. I doubt that the situation in Zimbabwe can bring together all nations in such an agreement and till that happens I don't see why cricket boards or the ICC should go ahead and ban any tour. Yes players who have specific concerns or wish to take a moral stance can always opt out of such tours.I believe everyone has a right to do that at a personal level.

Ideally a global unilateral boycott would be the way forward, however cricket is the major International connection of Zimbabwe and thus action there would have the biggest effect.

Aside - FIFA has a history of banning football teams when governments interfere with selection, and I don't believe China should be hosting the Olympics, at least until it gets itself out of Tibet, and then there's still a way to go.

 

[Slow Love™]

I hold a little different view on the situation and have always disagreed to this clamour for banning Zimbabwe from playing cricket by giving the South African( of the 1970s) analogy.I think that analogy is naive at best. South Africa had written laws that institutionalised apartheid. People did not have to believe in media reports of racial discrimination to gauge what was going on, but there were clear laws for every aspect of life that set forth a scheme of racial discrimination including the disenfranchisement of the whole coloured population. So let's not start to compare the two cases. They are a world apart.

You are absolutely, unequivocally correct on this, and I made this point in an older thread about the problems in Zimbabwe. The two are not equivalent, even if some insist that they are. I used to be more ambiguous about a sporting ban myself (for the reasons of consistently applied morality that you bring up), but the current situation definitely warrants it.

Because now, the issue can be directly tied to one of cricket administration. We can argue if we like about whether a penalty can be imposed by sporting nations for problems outside of sport, but clearly now, it's an issue of the ZCU itself - therefore, the ICC has far more of an obligation to recognize that Zimbabwean cricket has been brought into disrepute. Failing to take action, and in fact acting against those who wish to boycott, is operating in contradiction with the interests of cricket.

 

[anzac]

You are absolutely, unequivocally correct on this, and I made this point in an older thread about the problems in Zimbabwe. The two are not equivalent, even if some insist that they are. I used to be more ambiguous about a sporting ban myself (for the reasons of consistently applied morality that you bring up), but the current situation definitely warrants it.

Because now, the issue can be directly tied to one of cricket administration. We can argue if we like about whether a penalty can be imposed by sporting nations for problems outside of sport, but clearly now, it's an issue of the ZCU itself - therefore, the ICC has far more of an obligation to recognize that Zimbabwean cricket has been brought into disrepute. Failing to take action, and in fact acting against those who wish to boycott, is operating in contradiction with the interests of cricket.

oh well said sir...............

 

[Craig]

Sure it's not 1 US Dollar is $5000 Zimbabwean?

I believe Neil is right

 

[marc71178]

Funny that, because I believe him to be wrong

And if they devalue, doesn't that make it worth less?

 

[PY]

Using the thing you use Craig, it came up with £1 = Zim$9,061 and US$1 = Zim$5,099.

Neil has got his wires cross a little I think because I can't imagine him making that mistake intentionally.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Oops. Serious wire-crossing here.

*Edits*

 

[Craig]

Using the thing you use Craig, it came up with £1 = Zim$9,061 and US$1 = Zim$5,099.

Neil has got his wires cross a little I think because I can't imagine him making that mistake intentionally.

So it is out of date by a couple of days?

 

[PY]

Nah, before Neil edited it, his said that if he took Zim$1 to the Post Office he would get US$5000 which isn't the case, it is the other way round.

Easy error to make for someone who isn't doing a proper degree.

 

[aussie_beater]

Because now, the issue can be directly tied to one of cricket administration. We can argue if we like about whether a penalty can be imposed by sporting nations for problems outside of sport, but clearly now, it's an issue of the ZCU itself - therefore, the ICC has far more of an obligation to recognize that Zimbabwean cricket has been brought into disrepute. Failing to take action, and in fact acting against those who wish to boycott, is operating in contradiction with the interests of cricket.

I would disagree there. Yes, the ZCU is acting arbitrarily but if the Zimbabwe board feels that a certain player(in this case Heath Streak) is making unreasonable demands, I don't think ICC or anyone else has a right to stop the ZCU from taking actions against him. Now you can argue that the demand is not unreasonable, but that's an opinion and the ZCU feels differently. The board reserves the authority on how it handles its players. In 1989 six Indian players including Kapil Dev and others were banned by the Indian cricket board for playing some matches in USA/Canada without the permission of the board. Also it can be argued that the issue in Zimbabwe is race related, but its an allegation at best and cannot be proven like the South African case. ICC can facilitate a compromise solution but IMO a blanket ban cannot be justified yet.

 

[Sudeep]

Just read the news, all the 15 rebels fired.

I had some hope, now it's all gone.

I would now agree with Neil and others, ban the ZCU.

 

[Langeveldt]

Just read the news, all the 15 rebels fired.

I had some hope, now it's all gone.

I would now agree with Neil and others, ban the ZCU.

Yep... I guess it could be expected...

Mani will doubtlessly not condemn the ZCU for their actions.... Oh well..

 

[Langeveldt]

Just read the news, all the 15 rebels fired.

I had some hope, now it's all gone.

I would now agree with Neil and others, ban the ZCU.

Yep... I guess it could be expected...

Mani will doubtlessly not condemn the ZCU for their actions.... Oh well.. Corruption absolutely everywhere, what fun...