England players ask for World Cup venue change

The row over England's scheduled World Cup match in Harare took a new turn when the players' representative, Richard Bevan, managing director of the Professional Cricketers Association, read out a statement on their behalf. The headline is that the England cricketers have made an "urgent request" that their World Cup match against Zimbabwe scheduled to be played in Harare on February 13th should be switched to South Africa.

He reported that there is a highly volatile situation in Zimbabwe - a fact that was made plain during a recent meeting between players' representatives, the England and Wales Cricket Board and Government officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

As a result, Bevan said, "The players today have requested an urgent review of their scheduled match against Zimbabwe in Harare on 13 February.

"Without doubt the issues have been weighing heavily on the players minds, taking into account moral, political and contractual aspects."

The minutes of the recent meeting highlighted the concerns about security in Harare, including a firebomb attack on a political party's office, the report by the Mayor of Harare that he could not guarantee security and reports from police that they had uncovered an arms cache allegedly for the use of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's opponents against England cricketers.

Bevan added that the England players were concerned about the people of Zimbabwe and, in particular, Mugabe's opponents who might well be targeted by the authorities.

While this statement might be seen as a direct challenge to the ECB, it was stressed that the players are aware of the ECB's situation and they are keen to support the board. However, they are definite that they want the match moved and for the Zimbabwe Cricket Union to be paid compensation.

It was pointed out that the World Cup organisers have said that a final decision about the venue can be made as late as February 9th, and so ask that "a fresh review of security be made immediately."

They add, "We are keen to take as much time as necessary to ensure the right decision is made."

While acknowledging the difficult position in which the ECB finds itself, Bevan, on behalf of the players, had no such sympathy for the Government.

"Much of the pressure on all parties could have been eased by a more decisive role from government. There have been no economic sanctions against Zimbabwe, or sporting sanctions and diplomatic ties have not been severed."

This was a theme taken up by ECB chief executive Tim Lamb when answering questions after the PCA statement had been read out. He went on to outline the ECB's continuing position.

"As things stand at the moment, the ECB supports the stance of the ICC, which is that matches should only be relocated to South Africa if there are genuine grounds for believing the safety of players or officials is under threat.

"There will be a meeting by tele-conference this Thursday when the ECB's chairman David Morgan will be representing us and there will be an update on security."

Lamb also underlined the fact that, despite the players' statement, the match is still on.

"What the players have not said today is that they are refusing to play the match. They have urged the ICC to move the match. There is this further opportunity on Thursday that we could review that decision."

He was asked if he was not embarrassed that it was the players who were issuing the statement and not the ECB and whether it was the duty of the board to back the England team rather than rigidly adhere to the ICC line. Lamb was in no doubt with his reply.

"I have already had a long conversation with Malcolm Speed who is aware of the thrust of the statement from the players. I will have to discuss this with my chairman and he, or I, may decide we have to consult with the ECB Management Board before Thursday's meeting but certainly we will take on board the players' concerns.

"We will listen carefully to what the players have to say. I'm sure that David Morgan will bear all this in mind when he takes part in the tele-conference on Thursday morning."

ICC chief executive, Malcolm Speed, responded to today's announcement by the England players by saying that their concerns would be aired at the next ICC board meeting, scheduled for later this week.

He said, "The process is in place for the English players, through their board, to have this issue discussed and debated.

"As recently as last Friday, the ICC board, including the chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, David Morgan, met to consider this issue and no member sought to present any argument to the board to move the game.

"The ECB will have the opportunity to argue its case later this week during the ICC board teleconference which will again discuss the games scheduled for Zimbabwe and Kenya."

Speed stressed that the only grounds for a change in venue would be the safety and security issues.

"The ICC is an international sporting organisation with 84 members with a variety of cultures, beliefs and political systems.

"Its members are in place to make judgments on cricket administration and not to take a political stance on foreign policy issues. This is the role and responsibility of governments.

"Many months ago, the ICC Executive Board discussed this issue and all members, including the ECB, endorsed this position. Of course, should the ECB wish to have this approach reviewed, it will be entitled to argue the case at the meeting on Friday.

"We are committed to monitoring the safety and security of players and officials in Zimbabwe and this is being done on a daily basis.

"To do this we have in place an effective system that will allow us to make a proper, fact-based assessment on the safety issues that each team will be faced with in Zimbabwe.

"There is in place a properly resourced and highly skilled Security Directorate that is responsible for the safety of all teams.

"The Directorate has put in place a thorough system to identify, assess and manage any safety and security issues and the tournament will see unprecedented levels of security for all games.

"The ICC has also now visited Zimbabwe on several occasions to assess the safety issues first-hand, visiting and listening to a number of diplomatic officials from the countries scheduled to play there as well as to a number of relevant stakeholders.

"In addition, the ICC has appointed an independent firm of international security advisers to provide its expert view on the situation in Zimbabwe.

"This thorough process allows the ICC to make a proper assessment of the safety and security risks to players and officials based on the expert advice of a range of well-qualified safety experts.

"As it currently stands, based on this expert advice the ICC board continues to see no reason to move the games. Should the situation change there is in place the system to alert the ICC to this and a proper decision making process to deal with any need to relocate games."

Meanwhile, momentum is gathering to have all World Cup matches moved to South Africa. The Australians are due in Bulawayo on February 24th, but there is already a suggestion that they are unhappy about fulfilling the fixture.

Asked if there was concern in the Australian camp about the situation, captain Ricky Ponting said, "There's a little bit. I think there always will be.

"I haven't thought much about it yet. I don't know what to expect until we get there, if we're going. That decision is probably up in the air a little bit.

"We'll speak more about it over the next few days and probably when we get to South Africa work a few things out there."

The Australians forfeited a fixture in the 1996 World Cup in Sri Lanka, as well as declining to tour Zimbabwe in 2001.

An Australian Cricket Board spokesman said: "We reserve the right not to go there right up until the last minute. Even if we arrive at the airport and have to fly out straight away we will."

There is still concern over the security situation in Nairobi, with New Zealand paying particular attention to the findings of the ICC security delegation.

All this points to more problems for cricket. Should England, Australia and New Zealand decide against playing their matches in Zimbabwe and Kenya while the likes of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka fulfil such fixtures, there are several factions ready to point to a widening racial split in world cricket and exploit the situation for their own unsavoury ends.