Final outcome of Zimbabwe row now rests with ICC

The chances of England fulfilling their World Cup fixture in Harare on February 13th seem to be receding as the clock ticks on, but after another day of confusion verging on fiasco, nobody can be absolutely sure what will happen. What is certain is that the already fragile structure of the game will end the day in worse repair than it started.

It all began with Zimbabwean stalwarts Andy Flower and Henry Olonga issuing a statement prior to Zimbabwe's match against Namibia stating that they would be wearing black armbands for the duration of the World Cup "in mourning for the death of democracy in our beloved Zimbabwe."

It has been suggested that they might have been speaking on behalf of the entire team but that, symbolically, one white and one black member alone put their signatures to the statement. Whether they were acting alone or on behalf oftheir colleagues, it was a very brave - or foolhardy - gesture that deserves the greatest admiration.

While that was happening, ICC president Malcolm Gray was betraying increasing irritation with the England and Wales Cricket Board over their hesitancy about making a final decision over their fixture in Harare.

"They really need to get to grips with the situation and give us an answer by 4pm (local time).

"Yesterday they came to us and said as yet they couldn't make a decision and could we help them with some more information to verify something. It is patent nonsense that we have concealed information from the players,"

Gray told BBC Radio in an interview. "We have bent over backwards to provide them with information - every time they have requested information we have given it to them."

He was referring to requests made by the players' representative, Richard Bevan, who claims that four requests for unimpaired sight of the Kroll Report have been rejected.

Gray continued: "I don't want to get into an argument with Richard Bevan. We have carried out every process in an excellent manner, including dealing with Australia, who had their own concerns.

"They (England) must give us an answer by 4pm local time, 2pm GMT. By 4pm tell us one way or another but don't keep coming back requesting this and that. We have got a match to be played in 48 hours' time after today and it has to be sorted one way or another."

Later, that deadline was extended because, according to ICC, they had been late in providing some of the information requested by the ECB. Although the previous deadline had been lifted, no time limit was imposed on the extension.

Meanwhile, the ICC had asked South Africa's second ranking police officer, Deputy National Commissioner Andre Pruis to investigate just how seriously they should regard the death threats to the England players and their families issued by an organisation calling itself The Sons and Daughters of Zimbabwe. It goes without saying that the ECB and the players took the threats very seriously.

However, the deputy commissioner reported with alacrity so that the ICC could inform ECB, "We have been assured by the Deputy National Commissioner of the South African Police Service that the letter from the Sons and Daughters of Zimbabwe does not pose a credible threat to the safety of the England party in Zimbabwe. Accordingly, we have passed that advice to the ECB and asked them to confirm their intentions to the ICC today."

The communication from the ICC went on to cause further confusion by stating, "IDI (ICC Development International) note that you are giving us formal notice that you are unable to fulfill the scheduled fixture in Harare on Thursday the 13th February."

Not surprisingly, this phrase was misinterpreted as meaning that the ECB had officially withdrawn from the fixture and the news flashed around the world accordingly. It was, however, somewhat premature as the ECB then issued a statement of their own.

Issued at 4 pm GMT, it read, "The ECB wishes to clarify that we have not said that we are refusing to go to Zimbabwe. We asked the ICC to move the match to a safe location outside of Zimbabwe on the grounds of safety and security. We would also like to draw attention to the fact that in the letter the ICC has released to the media this afternoon, the ICC clearly states it is still awaiting a final decision from the ECB on this matter."

That brought the response from the ICC, "The ICC has confirmed receipt of a letter this afternoon from the England & Wales Cricket Board, in response to the ICC's request for a final decision on whether the ECB intends to meet its commitments to play in Harare on February 13.

"This letter neither confirms nor denies that intention, and at this point the ICC remains unclear if the England team will play in Harare on Thursday of this week. The ECB has requested a meeting with ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed, this evening, to discuss the matter further."

Those discussions went on and the ECB called a press conference late in the day at which Nasser Hussain, the captain, was in an emotional state as he described the mood of the players on Sunday. He effectively said that the decision has been taken away from them and is now in the ECB's hands, much to their relief.

Chief executive Tim Lamb then read a statement which revealed that the threatening group, the Sons and Daughters of Zimbabwe, has been heard of before - in direct contradiction of what Commissioner Pruis has stated earlier -and that consequently the ECB had written to the ICC saying that they did not believe it was reasonable to expect the team to go to Zimbabwe in these circumstances. A reply is awaited tomorrow morning when it is to be hoped that this chapter of a sorry saga will reach some sort of conclusion.

Add to all of this the idea coming from New Zealand that the last has not been heard of their decision not to play in Nairobi and the ICC is not enjoying one of the more glorious moments in its history. It is faced with a growing list of potential legal actions, the prospect of enormous financial losses and a possible split in world cricket that could signal the end of the organisation as a credible governing body.

It is not a comfortable position for them, nor is it to the benefit of cricket as a whole. It is easy to apportion blame for this sorry state, but rather more difficult to come up with a sensible solution.