ICC cricket chief says action can be taken against Zimbabwe

By Staff Writer

19 December 2005

International Cricket Council president Ehsan Mani insists the world governing body will not shirk from making tough decisions over the status of Zimbabwe.

The country's cricketing crisis deepened recently when Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Peter Chingoka and managing director Ozias Bvute were questioned by police in a fraud investigation.

They were both detained for 48 hours before being released without charge. But their release was the last straw for a group that is fighting to oust them from power for alleged maladministration.

The crisis in the sport led to the resignation of captain Tatenda Taibu, protesting the way the game was being run. He is now playing cricket in Bangladesh.

There have been calls for the ICC to take firmer action and Mani admits sanctions can be taken, as when Zimbabwe were temporarily suspended from Test cricket after a player strike last year.

Mani told Sky Sports: ‘My main concern is if they are losing players like Tatenda Taibu, not political, there is a major problem in Zimbabwe.

‘At the appropriate time we will take action. Zimbabwe are not due to play international cricket for a couple of months but we are fully aware of the situation.

‘What is going on there is not acceptable from a cricket point of view and it is not good for cricket, we know that’.

Taibu is the latest in a line of eminent Zimbabwean players who have retired in recent years due to dissatisfaction at the management of the game. Their performances have declined rapidly as a result and the team have lost 21 of their last 25 Test matches.