Australia mulls cricket boycott of Zimbabwe

Sydney - A violent crackdown on political dissent in Zimbabwe could lead Australian cricketers to scrap a planned tour of the southern African nation later this year, the government said Monday.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said he was deeply disturbed by events in Zimbabwe and would raise the issue with Cricket Australia after the World Cup, which is under way in the Caribbean.

"I've not been a great fan of cricket tours to Zimbabwe," Downer told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

He noted that the final decision on the September tour rested with national and international cricket authorities and involved contractual issues.

"But once the World Cup is over, we'll talk to the Australian Cricket Board about this."

The regime of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has drawn international criticism over its brutal crushing of dissent this month, including the shooting of an activist and the beating of several opposition leaders.

Cricket Australia said it had not yet considered cancelling the tour, which involves three one-day internationals.

"We're just not thinking about it, it's not on our current agenda and not on our radar as such," said spokesman Peter Young, noting that the focus was on the World Cup.

Young said the reports of violence in Zimbabwe were "appalling", but he could not say whether the tour would go ahead if the violence continued.

"Who knows what will happen between now and then?"

An Australian delegation would be sent to Zimbabwe before the tour to check on the security arrangements for the players and team officials, but it would not leave until close to the tour date.

Australia are obliged under International Cricket Council regulations to tour every member nation in a five-year span or incur a massive fine from the sport's governing body.

Some opposition parties in Australia have suggested the government should undertake to pay the fine if Cricket Australia cancels the tour.

Prime Minister John Howard said in a radio address Monday that Australia would work with other countries "to place greater pressure on the Zimbabwean leadership" but did not mention the cricket tour.

He said one of the major reasons why Mugabe remained in power and presided over the destruction of his country was that neighbouring countries, particularly South Africa, had failed to exert sufficient pressure.

"The reality is that only the leaders of these African countries enjoy the historic leverage to sway Mugabe. Nothing short of his peaceful departure from office can offer hope to this tragic country," the prime minister said.

"The world community led by the governments in southern Africa should set about achieving this objective."

Agence France Presse

Well, if Mugabe is treated like a pariah then perhaps he`ll realize that he can`t get away with.....murder - literally

Aussie government wants Zimbabwe tour scrapped

SYDNEY - The Australian government has called on the national cricket team to cancel their planned tour of Zimbabwe for later this year.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said he would meet with Cricket Australia officials this week in the hope of persuading them to scrap the three-match tour, scheduled for September.

“My view is that the tour shouldn’t go ahead,” Downer said today.

“If it were to go ahead then Australia, which is after all the world championship team, would give Zimbabwe’s regime and its president, who has been the patron of Zimbabwe Cricket Association, a propaganda victory,” Downer said.

“We shouldn’t do that - this is a horrific regime in Zimbabwe and we should take a stand against it.”

The Australian government raised the prospect of cancelling the tour last month amid increased international criticism of Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence from Britain in 1980 but is accused of political and human rights abuses and economic mismanagement.

Cricket Australia faces a potential $2m fine from the International Cricket Council (ICC) if they refuse to tour Zimbabwe, but the government has already indicated it would pay any fine.

“Normally I’m not a great fan of bringing politics into sport but in this particular case I think it is appropriate,” Downer said.

Zimbabwean cricket has been in crisis for the past few years but is still recognised by the ICC as one of only 10-test playing nations.

The ICC has threatened to fine countries who refused to tour the African state, but Australian leg-spinner Stuart MacGill lodged a personal protest in 2004, refusing to take part in his team’s tour and telling selectors he could not “tour Zimbabwe and maintain a clear conscience”.

Shortly after his announcement, Australia’s tour was cancelled and no fines were issued. Later that year, England’s planned tour of the country was also postponed after the ICC took away Zimbabwe’s test status, which has since been returned.

In 2005, the New Zealand government refused to issue visas to the Zimbabwe team and declined to pay the ICC fine for cancelling the reciprocal tour, which eventually went ahead.

Businessday.co.za

Board may raise the issue with ICC

Gilchrist's squash ball was "unethical", says SLC secretary

Cricinfo staff

May 7, 2007




Sri Lanka aren't happy with Adam Gilchrist's use of the squash ball during the World Cup final © Getty Images
Kangadaran Mathivanan, the Sri Lanka Cricket secretary, has said that Sri Lanka believe Adam Gilchrist's use of a squash ball in his left glove during the World Cup final was "unethical" and may take up the matter at the ICC annual general meeting in June.

"We are of the opinion that it was unethical for Gilchrist to use a squash ball to give unfair advantage," Mathivanan told AFP. He said Sri Lanka could call on the ICC's cricket committee for stringent application of Law 42 on fair and unfair play to ensure only the approved protection equipment was used. He said that SLC would discuss the issue before deciding whether to raise it in London.

The MCC, who are the guardians of the Laws, told Cricinfo that the official view is that the action was legal "It is no different to wearing inners, etc," Jon Stephenson, said.

Gilchrist scored a matchwinning 149 against Sri Lanka in the final and later revealed his batting aid. "I had a squash ball in my bottom-hand to help with my grip in training and I decided in this World Cup to use it in a match."

© Cricinfo



Don't ya just hate sore losers ? Seems it's OK to have a "chucka" like Murili but a squash ball is not ok ? Go figure !