New security appraisal could avert Zimbabwe crisis

International Cricket Council president Malcolm Gray has met the new chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, David Morgan, and the result could be a reprieve for the ECB from their dilemma over going to Zimbabwe for the scheduled World Cup match on February 13th.

The ICC have stated that England must honour the contract they signed to play their World Cup matches according to the fixture list agreed by all the competing countries long ago. The Government, since Christmas, has been putting pressure on the ECB to forfeit the game for fear of giving a propaganda boost to the intensely disliked Mugabe regime in Zimbabwe.

The only grounds on which the ICC would contemplate freeing the ECB from their contract - breach of which would cost English cricket a substantial sum of money for which the Government has refused compensation - is on the grounds of security. A delegation including ECB chief executive Tim Lamb went to Zimbabwe and gave the country the all clear as far as the safety of players, officials and spectators was concerned at the end of last year.

Since then, however, there have been fresh outbreaks of violence with hungry mobs rioting in Harare and Bulawayo where fixtures are due to be played. This offers the ICC an opportunity to send another inspection team to Zimbabwe. They have already gone some way towards acknowledging the deteriorating security situation by forming a standing committee to keep an eye on developments. A safety and security delegation will be arriving in Nairobi on Monday to assess conditions there and a similar delegation could be sent to Zimbabwe as a result of the formation of this standing committee.

Mr Gray said, "We have obviously been watching what has been happening in Zimbabwe and it might be we will have a more formal look at it in a couple of weeks.

"If things have changed, we have processes in place that will allow us to change if we need to, right up to the start of the matches."

Such a move might offer England a way out of their predicament. The Australian Cricket Board might also welcome the move, for they too have come under pressure to pull out of their fixture against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo on February 24th.

Apart from the immediate financial penalty resulting from breaking the ICC contract, English cricket could face further losses running into many more millions of pounds. If England do not play in Harare, it is highly likely that Zimbabwe would withdraw from their proposed tour of England next summer. Then the ECB would face expensive claims from broadcasters and sponsors.

In addition, there is a danger of a serious division in world cricket should England and Australia boycott Zimbabwe while other countries, notably India and Pakistan, are prepared to fulfil their fixtures.

All these considerations are weighing heavily on Mr Morgan's mind as he faces a major crisis within his first few days in office.

"I want cricket to be united and I think it has to go ahead for the game to remain united," he said. "I am significantly worried about a possible split in world cricket.

"It's a possibility, and a worrying possibility, that Zimbabwe won't come to England to play in the Test and one-day series this summer. That's more important than some of the financial considerations."

Meanwhile Mr Gray has made it clear that the ICC will not get involved in the various political issues and confine itself to matters that affect cricket alone.

"Our position is a relatively simple position. We have the ability, the confidence and responsibility to ensure the safety and security of the players, the officials and people attending the matches.

"Equally, we do not have the confidence, ability or mandate to make judgements on the political issue, that is the role of government.

"You have to remember the ICC is a classic international body made up of 85 member countries and they have very diverse political, religious and cultural backgrounds. They will have different views as to the various regimes in various countries."

Having said that, the ICC cannot be isolated from wider political considerations. While the governing body will doubtless work within its own clear parameters, it would be a convenient solution for everyone, with the possible exception of the Zimbabwe Cricket Union, if matches were to be moved away from that troubled country on the grounds of safety and security.