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Africa Subsaharan
Zimbabwe Oppo Leader backs cancellation of cricket tour
2007-05-14
Zimbabwe's Opposition Leader Morgan Tsvangirai has supported the Australian Government's decision to cancel the Australian cricket team's tour to the country, while the Government in Zimbabwe has hit out at the Howard Government as being "desperate and racist" for the cancellation.

Mr Tsvangirai believes the controversy surrounding Australia's decision to pull out of the tour serves to highlight the political and economic crisis that is engulfing his country. "I think it's a positive step. It'll put the Zimbabwe crisis on the international radar," he said. "It's not escaping the focus of the international community."

Mr Tsvangirai maintains the move by the Australian Government is one of the most effective means of applying diplomatic pressure to the government of Robert Mugabe. But Mr Tsvangirai concedes his country's cricketers are losing out to the game of politics. "As sportsmen obviously they would like to engage but they're collateral damage," he said. "They've become the victim of a much broader, broader issue that is concerned in Zimbabwe."

Zimbabwe cricket's governing body says it expects Australia to play in Zimbabwe despite the decision to cancel the tour.
Two chances of that, slim and none.
Meanwhile, Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer says no decision has been made on whether to allow the Australian cricket team to play matches against Zimbabwe at neutral venues. South Africa has indicated it may be willing to provide a neutral venue, but Mr Downer does not think it will come to that. "It seems to me highly unlikely that the Zimbabwe Cricket Union would want to play the game in another country," he said. "For them I suspect and at least for the Zimbabwean Government it would be seen to be humiliating to acknowledge that they are not able to play against the top cricket team, in their own country."

Tasmania's Zimbabwean-born former cricket captain Brian Davison says it was right for the Government to ban Australia's tour of the African country. Mr Davison says while the decision is unlikely to have a significant effect in Zimbabwe, the Commonwealth needs to maintain pressure on President Mugabe. "There's no doubt that Mr Howard has done the right thing - and Mr Downer - to make sure that this ongoing problem with Zimbabwe is taken out of the hands of the cricketers and made political," he said.
Posted by:Steve White

#3  Zimbabwe has a pretty decent team. It is a good backhand.
Posted by: Pappy   2007-05-14 23:43  

#2  "Zimbabwe cricket's governing body says it expects Australia to play in Zimbabwe..."

Like that's gonna happen.

What's next for these guys: Co-ed Synchronized Rope-Pushing?
Posted by: USN. Ret.   2007-05-14 14:02  

#1  South Africa has indicated it may be willing to provide a neutral venue,

The usual compromising support from a Zimbob friendly, South Africa.
Posted by: Besoeker   2007-05-14 05:07  

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