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England delays Zimbabwe decision until March
London, Jan 30: England`s Cricket Board (ECB) has delayed a decision on whether to tour Zimbabwe until after a meeting with the sport`s ruling body in March.
London, Jan 30: England's Cricket Board (ECB) has delayed a decision on whether to tour Zimbabwe until after a meeting with the sport's ruling body in March.
Earlier this month the ECB said it would decide on the tour in February but, at a meeting yesterday, the ECB agreed first to meet the International Cricket Council (ICC) on March 9-10.
The Commonwealth of Britain and its former colonies and protectorates suspended Zimbabwe in 2002, saying President Robert Mugabe had rigged his re-election and harassed opponents.
England, who are scheduled to tour Zimbabwe in October, pulled out of a World Cup match in Harare last year because of security concerns.
At yesterday's meeting the ECB's management board reviewed the ''many concerns'' about the tour including those expressed by the British government.
The ICC had asked the ECB to share these concerns with its executive board in March before making a final decision, the ECB said.
''It (ECB) decided to respond positively to this request in the hope that it offers an opportunity to explore with all interested parties, all of the prevailing circumstances surrounding the planned tour, in order to establish whether they constitute an exceptional case,'' an ECB statement said.
ICC president Ehsan Mani welcomed the ECB's decision.
''During our meeting earlier this week I suggested to (ECB chairman) David Morgan that an appropriate forum for this issue would be the ICC executive board meeting in March,'' Mani said in a statement. ''I am pleased the ECB board has now accepted this suggestion.''
The ICC says all Test playing countries have a binding commitment that political considerations should not be a factor ''when reviewing playing obligations''.
At its meeting yesterday the ECB heard from Des Wilson, chairman of its corporate affairs committee. According to a newspaper report last week, Wilson said humanitarian issues should play a part in the final decision whether to tour.
The government of Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair has said the ECB must make the tour decision but it would give them an objective assessment of the political and security situation.
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, in a letter to the ECB last week, said it was the government's view ''that the overall situation in Zimbabwe is worse today than it was during the cricket World Cup last Year''.
Bureau Report
The Commonwealth of Britain and its former colonies and protectorates suspended Zimbabwe in 2002, saying President Robert Mugabe had rigged his re-election and harassed opponents.
England, who are scheduled to tour Zimbabwe in October, pulled out of a World Cup match in Harare last year because of security concerns.
At yesterday's meeting the ECB's management board reviewed the ''many concerns'' about the tour including those expressed by the British government.
The ICC had asked the ECB to share these concerns with its executive board in March before making a final decision, the ECB said.
''It (ECB) decided to respond positively to this request in the hope that it offers an opportunity to explore with all interested parties, all of the prevailing circumstances surrounding the planned tour, in order to establish whether they constitute an exceptional case,'' an ECB statement said.
ICC president Ehsan Mani welcomed the ECB's decision.
''During our meeting earlier this week I suggested to (ECB chairman) David Morgan that an appropriate forum for this issue would be the ICC executive board meeting in March,'' Mani said in a statement. ''I am pleased the ECB board has now accepted this suggestion.''
The ICC says all Test playing countries have a binding commitment that political considerations should not be a factor ''when reviewing playing obligations''.
At its meeting yesterday the ECB heard from Des Wilson, chairman of its corporate affairs committee. According to a newspaper report last week, Wilson said humanitarian issues should play a part in the final decision whether to tour.
The government of Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair has said the ECB must make the tour decision but it would give them an objective assessment of the political and security situation.
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, in a letter to the ECB last week, said it was the government's view ''that the overall situation in Zimbabwe is worse today than it was during the cricket World Cup last Year''.
Bureau Report