Australia to play an ODI series in Zimbabwe

583 Views 8 Replies 5 Participants Last post by PrinzPaulEugen, May 15, 2007

PrinzPaulEugen

Discussion Starter · May 3, 2007 (Edited)

Australia should not tour Zimbabwe. Unless the maniacal rule of Mugabe is ended before September. Nor should we tour any time after until Mugabe is either gone from government or dead (hopefully the latter). Your thoughts?

from: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21661912-5001505,00.html

MacGill exposes Zimbabwe tour
Malcolm Conn
May 03, 2007

STUART MacGILL, who boycotted Australia's previous tour of Zimbabwe three years ago, wants his team-mates to take a closer look at the desperate situation in the crumbling African nation.

The World Cup champion's next assignment shapes as another International Cricket Council farce, a one-day series in Zimbabwe in September against a hopelessly under-strength side.

With Cricket Australia facing a $2million ICC fine if it fails to fulfil its international obligations, only an independent, adverse security assessment will prevent the tour from taking place.

This may prompt more players to take an individual moral stand, as MacGill did in 2004.

"It's naive to think that sport and politics don't mix," MacGill said yesterday.

"You have to look at things from all angles and make your own mind up about the sorts of things that are important to you and that you have a bigger part to play in the world community than just on the sporting field."

MacGill made it clear that while he felt strongly about Zimbabwe, and believes the country has deteriorated since his refusal to tour, he was unaware if any of his Australian team-mates felt the same.

"I don't know and I'm careful not to discuss it with anyone because I'd hate to think I'm making their mind up for them," he said.

"I'm not an activist, I'm not making a stand, it's just something that I didn't feel comfortable doing (touring Zimbabwe)."

The key person in MacGill's decision-making was former Zimbabwe captain Andy Flower who, with fast bowler Henry Olonga, took the brave stand to wear black arm-bands during the opening 2003 World Cup match in Zimbabwe to highlight "the death of democracy" in their country.

"He pretty much said what I thought, which was 'if you're hoping to change the world by your decision, you should probably go (tour). One man is not going to make any difference. But if you're doing it because you don't feel comfortable then by all means (don't go)'.

"That was the best thing he could have said to me because it was the way my actions were going to be perceived which bothered me the most. People would think I was trying to shake the tree a bit and that certainly wasn't the case.

"On an individual level, there was a lot to feel uncomfortable about travelling as a sporting team over there and so I decided I couldn't go.

"And if anything, it has deteriorated enormously."

Australian Cricketers Association chief executive Paul Marsh said the ACA was in the process of gathering as much information as possible to put before the players over the next few months.

"We're talking to government representatives and security consultants here and in Zimbabwe to get the best idea possible of what the situation is like," Marsh said.

Cricket Australia spokesman Peter Young said CA was likely to send a delegation to Zimbabwe in August to assess the situation.

"We don't have our heads in the sand ... but we have very strict obligations under the ICC's future tours program," Young said.

MacGill believes it is tough for players to take an individual stand.

"I don't know whether the players should be in a position where they find themselves faced with these decisions. If it is a significantly wider community issue then possibly it should be a wider set of participants fighting it out," MacGill said, referring to sporting bodies and politicians.

Other players will be encouraged that MacGill, who is not a member of the one-day team and will not be considered for this tour, experienced no official ramifications from refusing to join the team in 2004

"As far as selection was concerned, I can guarantee there weren't any (ramifications) and if there was any unhappiness at board level, I certainly didn't feel it," MacGill said.

Quite apart from the moral issues, which confront many of international cricket's third-world countries, the ICC should dump Zimbabwe as a full voting member because its on-field standard is in free-fall.

Zimbabwe is ranked 11th in the world behind Ireland following the World Cup.

Last year, Australia's academy side of promising youngsters toured Zimbabwe, and flogged the national side in a series of matches.

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BobDaBuilder

· #2 · May 4, 2007

With EVERY situation there is an opportunity.

What I would do if I was the ACB(or whatever it is called these days) is to send a team. This was you don't cop the $3 million USD fine which goes straight to Bobby Mugabe's slush fund to help pay his cronies and thus keep him in power.

What we do is send a team of say, the best country cricketers. Or beach cricketers and tell them to run riot in the finest of Australian tourists traditions.

Get on the turps, womanize and also give Mugabe and his lackey's a massive curry at every opportunity.

Guns and Roses once started a riot in South America at a concert, this is Australian cricket's big chance to cause regime change.

I, for one, volunteer to do my part to start the revolution!

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Q-TIP

· #3 · May 4, 2007

MacGill :lol: what a second-rater. Who cares what he has to say:bash:

But it is unfortunate we have to play in Zimbabwe. Give it a skip. I checked the schedule and our first 20/20 match in SA is against Zimbabwe. To play 3 ODI and a 20/20 against a team that couldnt beat ireland is hardly challenging for us anyway. IMO pay the ICC the forfeiture money, and take it away from MacGills ACB wage

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PrinzPaulEugen

Discussion Starter · #4 · May 5, 2007

BobDaBuilder said:
With EVERY situation there is an opportunity.

What I would do if I was the ACB(or whatever it is called these days) is to send a team. This was you don't cop the $3 million USD fine which goes straight to Bobby Mugabe's slush fund to help pay his cronies and thus keep him in power.

What we do is send a team of say, the best country cricketers. Or beach cricketers and tell them to run riot in the finest of Australian tourists traditions.

Get on the turps, womanize and also give Mugabe and his lackey's a massive curry at every opportunity.

Guns and Roses once started a riot in South America at a concert, this is Australian cricket's big chance to cause regime change.

I, for one, volunteer to do my part to start the revolution!

There would surely be a team of ADF cricketers (Keith Miller, Tibby Cotter, Dougie Walters, etc) that could be sent there on a mission. We all know the team that won the premiership in Bunbury this year could flog Zimbabwe. Fill it with cricketing special forces. Mugabe shows up for the presentation, and shuffles off this mortal coil.

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PrinzPaulEugen

Discussion Starter · #5 · May 13, 2007 (Edited)

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,21722086-2,00.html

This seems like a half reasonable alternative. Although, what about Australia playing a "Zimbabwe State of Origin team" in a neutral location. Andy Flower, Grant Flower, Murray Goodwin, Heath Streak, Neil Johnson, Henry Olonga, Stuart Carlisle, Tatenda Taibu, Andy Blignaut, Douglas Hondo, Scott Brant. theres an XI and a fuckin good one. (I know half of them are approaching 40, but they better than the current Zimbo team that may or may not play Australia, who would not beat an Australian U18 state team).

Zimbabwe matches may yet go on

AUSTRALIA and Zimbabwe could play their scheduled cricket series at a neutral venue, despite the Federal Government banning the tour to avert a propaganda coup for Robert Mugabe's regime.

Prime Minister John Howard today announced the Federal Government had ordered Cricket Australia (CA) not to proceed with the planned September tour of Zimbabwe for a series of one-day games.

He said it wasn't fair to leave it up to young sportsmen to decide whether to participate.

As a great fan of the game, Mr Howard admitted the decision pained him.

But Australia had no alternative but to send a message of condemnation to President Mugabe, whom he branded a "grubby dictator".

"In less extreme circumstances, the government would not wish to penalise cricket lovers in Zimbabwe or Australia," Mr Howard said.

"However, a tour by the World Cup champions to Zimbabwe would inevitably be used as propaganda by this appalling regime.

"President Mugabe has trashed Zimbabwean democracy, enriched himself and his cronies, subverted the rule of law and presided over the systematic and brutal oppression of that country's civil society and political opposition."

CA accepted the decision but said it would work with the Government in the hope of playing the Zimbabwe games at a neutral venue.

"We are obliged to do what we can to help Zimbabwe cricketers and we could help them by playing somewhere else," chief executive James Sutherland said.

"We are discussing with the Government where we could play Zimbabwe at a neutral venue."

A likely spot for any neutral-venue clash could be South Africa, where the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup will be held later this year.

But Mr Howard said he feared this option could expose Zimbabwean cricketers to persecution in their home country, as they could be seen to be supporting enemies of President Mugabe.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer expressed reservations about playing against Zimbabwe at all, even on neutral territory.

"I think it's best not to play against Zimbabwe for the time being if that can be avoided," he said.

"I don't think (a neutral clash) is very likely to happen as I doubt very much the Zimbabwe Cricket Union, or for that matter the Zimbabwe government, which no doubt runs the Zimbabwe Cricket Union, would allow Zimbabwe to be humiliated to the extent they accept that the international community refuses to come to their country."

Once President Mugabe was replaced as leader and Zimbabwe was liberalised, the sporting link would resume, Mr Downer said.

"While this obnoxious regime is in place we are not having the world's greatest cricket team go to Zimbabwe."

CA said the Government ban meant it was not liable under International Cricket Council (ICC) rules for a $2.4 million compensation payment to Zimbabwe.

CA had been reluctant to call off the tour itself, as it could have been liable for fines that could have ended up in the hands of President Mugabe's supporters.

Australian captain Ricky Ponting said he was comfortable with the Government ban.

"I'm comfortable that the Australian Government has taken the responsibility for making international affairs decisions on behalf of the country," Ponting said.

Labor said the ban was the most appropriate course of action.

"Our cricket team shouldn't go," deputy Labor leader Julia Gillard said to the Nine Network.

"This is an abhorrent regime, one that's marked by political violence against its political opponents.

"We shouldn't be giving any propaganda coups to this regime by allowing our cricket team to go there."

Zimbabwe's ambassador to Australia was not available for comment today.

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renell

· #6 · May 14, 2007

This ODI series has been given too much importance than it should be. Isn't Zimbabwe lower ranked than Ireland?

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sydney_lad

· #7 · May 14, 2007

renell said:
This ODI series has been given too much importance than it should be. Isn't Zimbabwe lower ranked than Ireland?

It's more about off the pitch than on it.

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PrinzPaulEugen

Discussion Starter · #8 · May 15, 2007 (Edited)

Renell This ODI series has been given too much importance than it should be. Isn't Zimbabwe lower ranked than Ireland?

Sadly, Renell, you are right. Zimbabwe as a cricket team were getting better and better since their easybeat days of the early 90's.

In 1999 Zimbabwe finished 5th in the World Cup in England, with all rounder Neil Johnson starring with with 367 runs (incl 132* against Australia at Lords) and 12 wickets.

On the 15th of November 2001, the Zimbabwean batsman Andy Flower was ranked number 1 Test Batsman in the world. Have a look at the great batsmen of a generation that he was ranked ahead of at the time:

1 A. Flower ZIM 895
2 S.R.Tendulkar IND 882
3 S.R. Waugh AUS 837
4 D.P.M.D. Jayawardene SL 818
5 Inzamam-ul-Haq PAK 815
6 B.C. Lara WI 804
7 A.C. Gilchrist AUS 783
8 R. Dravid IND 760
9 J.H. Kallis SA 740
10 M.E. Waugh AUS 703

He was Wisden Cricketer of the Year 2002.

On February 10, 2003, at the start of Zimbabwe's opening World Cup match against Namibia, Flower and fast bowler Henry Olonga released the following statement:

The black armband protest

Statement of Andrew Flower and Henry Olonga

Andrew Flower and Henry Olonga

February 10, 2003

Issued 9.30 a.m. February 10, 2003, at the start of Zimbabwe's opening World Cup match against Namibia.

It is a great honour for us to take the field today to play for Zimbabwe in the World Cup. We feel privileged and proud to have been able to represent our country. We are however deeply distressed about what is taking place in Zimbabwe in the midst of the World Cup and do not feel that we can take the field without indicating our feelings in a dignified manner and in keeping with the spirit of cricket.

We cannot in good conscience take to the field and ignore the fact that millions of our compatriots are starving, unemployed and oppressed. We are aware that hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans may even die in the coming months through a combination of starvation, poverty and Aids. We are aware that many people have been unjustly imprisoned and tortured simply for expressing their opinions about what is happening in the country. We have heard a torrent of racist hate speech directed at minority groups. We are aware that thousands of Zimbabweans are routinely denied their right to freedom of expression. We are aware that people have been murdered, raped, beaten and had their homes destroyed because of their beliefs and that many of those responsible have not been prosecuted. We are also aware that many patriotic Zimbabweans oppose us even playing in the Wc because of what is happening.

It is impossible to ignore what is happening in Zimbabwe. Although we are just professional cricketers, we do have a conscience and feelings. We believe that if we remain silent that will be taken as a sign that either we do not care or we condone what is happening in Zimbabwe. We believe that it is important to stand up for what is right.

We have struggled to think of an action that would be appropriate and that would not demean the game we love so much. We have decided that we should act alone without other members of the team being involved because our decision is deeply personal and we did not want to use our senior status to unfairly influence more junior members of the squad. We would like to stress that we greatly respect the ICC and are grateful for all the hard work it has done in bringing the World Cup to Zimbabwe.

In all the circumstances we have decided that we will each wear a black armband for the duration of the World Cup. In doing so we are mourning the death of democracy in our beloved Zimbabwe. In doing so we are making a silent plea to those responsible to stop the abuse of human rights in Zimbabwe. In doing so we pray that our small action may help to restore sanity and dignity to our Nation.

Andrew Flower - Henry Olonga

© Cricinfo

Wow. If you have ever had to stand up to your boss and tell them they are full of shit - imagine the courage of these guys.

Anyway, since then Zimbabwean cricket has gone to the dogs because anyone that can leave has.

It is so sad.

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PrinzPaulEugen

Discussion Starter · #9 · May 15, 2007 (Edited)

Plus, imagine if the tour had gone ahead.

With all due respect to the Zimbabwe team - and we all remember the official Australian teams during World Series Cricket that got thrashed by everyone - from which Rodney Hogg, Kim Hughes (he wasnt so bad) and Allan Robert Border came; but:

Terry Duffin, Vusi Sibanda, Chamu Chibhabha, and Sean Williams facing Shaun Tait, Brett Lee, and Nathan Bracken?

And then Christopher Mpofu, Ed Rainsford, and Elton Chigumbura rolling the arm over to Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Mike Hussey, and Shane Watson.

Lets run through that batting line up unto whom they will be rolling the arm over again: Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Mike Hussey, and Shane Watson.

With all due respect, the Zimbabwe team could (not should) thank the LORD for small mercies.

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