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Lord’s may lose T20 showpiece - Mugabe row threatens tournament
Last updated at 23:26pm on 28.04.08England have been alerted to the danger of losing their right to host next summer's Twenty20 world championship because of the Government's tough stance against the Mugabe regime.
David Morgan, the incoming president of the ICC and former chairman of the ECB, conceded that drastic action may be taken if Zimbabwe Cricket Union chairman Peter Chingoka is again denied a visa.
Vaughan: England captain out cheaply again
Asked if the tournament may be moved elsewhere in those circumstances, Morgan said: "It could happen. The chairman of Zimbabwe cricket, whoever that may be, will want to come to see the truly wonderful event. My own opinion is that it will go ahead and be staged in England."
Chingoka, who is an ally of President Robert Mugabe, was unable to obtain a visa to attend umpire Darrell Hair's employment tribunal in London last year and his predicament has prompted the ICC to shift their annual meeting in June from London to Dubai. Matters may come to a head before the Twenty20 world championship, as Zimbabwe are due to tour here early next summer.
India spinner Harbhajan Singh is in danger of receiving a substantial ban at a disciplinary hearing today after TV cameras showed him slapping international team-mate Sri Sreesanth at the end of an Indian Premier League game.
The minimum suspension under the ICC's code of conduct would be five Tests or 10 one-day internationals and match referee Farokh Engineer has promised decisive action.
"We are not going to sweep things under the carpet," Engineer said. "The complaint has to be examined carefully. Everything possible will be done to adjudicate it immediately."
Andrew Flintoff enjoyed an encouraging day in his comeback from ankle surgery yesterday as he helped Lancashire thrash Scotland by eight wickets in a Friends Provident Trophy match in Edinburgh. The England allrounder made 27 runs from 23 balls to guide his team to the most routine of victories. His brief but explosive innings featured four fours and a six.
England Test captain Michael Vaughan's struggle for form ahead of the series opener against New Zealand continued yesterday as he was dismissed for 16 in Yorkshire's match against Derbyshire at Headingley. Meanwhile, converted leg-spinner Aaron Redmond made an early case for a place in New Zealand's top order by top-scoring with 72 against an MCC XI at Arundel.
Reader views (1)
Ref P Chingoka/Zimbabwe.
Given what is happening at the moment in Zimbabwe I would say that there is a better than even chance that Chingoka will no longer be in charge of Zimbabwe cricket by this time next year.
Even if he is left in charge, as a result of the new government concentrating on more important things than Zim Cricket, I still think that England should refuse him a visa even if it cost the T2O tournament.
It is a shame that Zimbabwe has contributed to so much disharmony in world cricket and many of the great cricketers from Rhodesia/Zimbabwe would be turning in the their graves at the ruin of this great game.
It is also a shame that few people stand up for their principles and although I have not been closely following the Speed affair I admire him for standing up for what is right as opposed to what is expedient. If there were more people like him then this whole sorry affair would not have happened.
- The Maverick, Australia, 28/04/2008 02:07
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