Rangeela
International Coach
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2003
- Online Cricket Games Owned
Ehsan Mani, the ICC chairman, has accepted that England are unlikely to fulfil their scheduled tour of Zimbabwe this winter, according to a report in today's Times.
The article claimed that Mani, who met senior ECB officials this week, admitted: "I think the reality is that England will not tour Zimbabwe in November." Even though the ECB will discuss the on-going saga tomorrow, no final decision will be taken until the end of February.
In another revelation in this morning's newspapers, the Guardian also reported that the ECB is allegedly willing to offer up to $1m in compensation to the Zimbabwe Cricket Union if the tour doesn't go ahead.
The report said that the England board hopes a payment of compensation will take the heat out of the ICC's threatening stance against them. David Morgan, the ECB's chairman, yesterday confirmed that the offer of financial aid was a possibility, but was only one of several options open to them.
Other solutions include playing in a third country, like South Africa, where England are due to go after Zimbabwe, or to postpone the tour. "We are going to use February to negotiate with the ZCU and the ICC," Morgan said. "We need to know all the impacts that might be made by the cancellation."
But it is unlikely that Zimbabwe would agree to any of these proposals. "Pakistan played West Indies at neutral venues and lost millions as a result in sponsorship and gate revenue," Mani said. "The television arrangements were all that survived."
Peter Chingoka, the ZCU chairman, e-mailed the 18 first-class counties yesterday as to why the controversial tour should go ahead, and to warn them of the possible financial consequences if the tour is cancelled. However, it is thought that the majority of the counties are behind the ECB on the matter.
"The position is very straightforward," explained Mark Newton, Worcestershire's chief executive. "The counties have allowed the management board to make that decision for us because we believe they are the best qualified to do that.
"You can always put pressure on people if you want to, but that doesn't mean they will necessarily respond to it and I fail to see how sending an e-mail like this is going to help Zimbabwe cricket at all."
? Wisden Cricinfo Ltd
The article claimed that Mani, who met senior ECB officials this week, admitted: "I think the reality is that England will not tour Zimbabwe in November." Even though the ECB will discuss the on-going saga tomorrow, no final decision will be taken until the end of February.
In another revelation in this morning's newspapers, the Guardian also reported that the ECB is allegedly willing to offer up to $1m in compensation to the Zimbabwe Cricket Union if the tour doesn't go ahead.
The report said that the England board hopes a payment of compensation will take the heat out of the ICC's threatening stance against them. David Morgan, the ECB's chairman, yesterday confirmed that the offer of financial aid was a possibility, but was only one of several options open to them.
Other solutions include playing in a third country, like South Africa, where England are due to go after Zimbabwe, or to postpone the tour. "We are going to use February to negotiate with the ZCU and the ICC," Morgan said. "We need to know all the impacts that might be made by the cancellation."
But it is unlikely that Zimbabwe would agree to any of these proposals. "Pakistan played West Indies at neutral venues and lost millions as a result in sponsorship and gate revenue," Mani said. "The television arrangements were all that survived."
Peter Chingoka, the ZCU chairman, e-mailed the 18 first-class counties yesterday as to why the controversial tour should go ahead, and to warn them of the possible financial consequences if the tour is cancelled. However, it is thought that the majority of the counties are behind the ECB on the matter.
"The position is very straightforward," explained Mark Newton, Worcestershire's chief executive. "The counties have allowed the management board to make that decision for us because we believe they are the best qualified to do that.
"You can always put pressure on people if you want to, but that doesn't mean they will necessarily respond to it and I fail to see how sending an e-mail like this is going to help Zimbabwe cricket at all."
? Wisden Cricinfo Ltd
