ECB Suspends Zimbabwe Relations

The ECB has suspended its bilateral relations with the Zimbabwe Cricket Union, effectively banning the latter’s cricket team from touring England next year, including participation in the ICC Twenty20 World Cup, in reaction to recent political events in the country.

The move comes in line with a stance from the UK government. Culture Secretary Andy Burnham handed a letter to the England and Wales Cricket Board today making clear Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s stance.

The government decreed that Zimbabwe will not be allowed to play in next summer’s one-day internationals or the ICC Twenty20 World in the country.

An ECB statement read: ‘The ECB deplores the position in Zimbabwe and, like Cricket South Africa, finds this untenable. Therefore all bilateral arrangements are suspended with Zimbabwe Cricket with immediate effect.

‘The Government has written to the ECB today and has made a clear instruction that Zimbabwe’s bilateral tour scheduled under the ICC Future Tours Programme for 2009 should be cancelled.

‘The ECB, who have been in constructive and extensive dialogue with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport for some time, welcome the Government’s decision and share the Government’s concerns about the deteriorating situation and lack of human rights in Zimbabwe.’

The International Cricket Council will discuss a possible world ban next week including whether to ban the African country from international cricket at a meeting at its headquarters in Dubai on 2nd July.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) – for so long one of Zimbabwe’s staunch supporters – has severed its sporting ties with the country, prompting the summit.

Zimbabwe were set to play two Tests and three home one-day internationals in England early next summer before the World Twenty20. A replacement touring country will now be sought.

The government had been involved in discussions with the ECB over the situation in Zimbabwe for the past 18 months.

But the withdrawal of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai from the second round of Zimbabwe’s general election and reports of social unrest under Robert Mugabe’s regime appears to have spurred the government into action.

But as long as Zimbabwe is a member of the ICC, the team cannot be stopped from competing in the World Twenty20, to be held in England, next June.

The sport’s governing body has previously made it clear it would take the tournament away from England if it prevented Zimbabwe from touring. This stance however seems likely to be softened following the ICC meeting.

The Mugabe regime had led to calls for the England tour to be scrapped England batsman Andrew Strauss recently said that the side’s cricketers would consider boycotting matches against Zimbabwe if Mugabe stayed on as president.