Bat and ball / Frank Gregan / 07 July 2008 /

As Zimbabwe withdrew from the Twenty20 World Cup next year, Frank Gregan had a think about the implications of this and how it affects their standing in world cricket.

The world of cricket breathed a huge sigh of relief last week when Zimbabwe withdrew from the Twenty20 World Cup which can now take place in England next year. It looked at one stage that the sporting war between Zimbabwe and the rest of the world was about to start and that cricket would be the battlefield. Zimbabwe Cricket chose a tactical withdrawal rather than a full scale retreat and seems to have been rewarded for their bartering skills with continued full membership of the ICC. Zimbabwe may be a relatively minor cricketing nation but it is being backed by some real heavyweights in the game.

There is no doubt that the issue is dividing the member countries of the ICC with only one country (South Africa) being vague about its position. It is an emotive subject and Zimbabwe has received tremendous support from some quarters. The Indians have stood shoulder to shoulder with them confirming their support in a statement which read "we will support Zimbabwe to the full, whatever the cost."

The other nations putting their weight and votes behind Cricket Zimbabwe are Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the West Indies. South Africa seems unable to make its mind up on the issue. The president of Cricket South Africa, Norman Arendse suspended bilateral agreements between the two nations last week but faced dissent from members of his own board who believed the action was unjust. It appears that Cricket South Africa were pressurised into acting by their government in much the same way as the ECB had been informed that visas would not be issued to the Zimbabwean players for next years tournament.

It is the age old saga of sport being used to express the rest of the world's disapproval with a nation. In this instance the exclusion of Zimbabwe from next years Twenty20 will punish their cricketers for the sins of their politicians. Many will argue that it is right to do so and that sporting sanctions play a role and when combined with economic and diplomatic measures lead to the isolation of the offending nation.

Others take the viewpoint that sport is a way of building bridges and fostering improved relations between countries. It is a heavy subject and one that probably those who have experienced are best qualified to comment on. One such person is Ali Bacher the former captain and managing director of South African cricket. He says, "There should be no discussion, Zimbabwe should be isolated and banished from the international arena. I say this because of what brought apartheid down in South Africa, it was the international isolation. People who say sport and politics are completely separate are being naive."

In a statement issued by the ICC it was confirmed that Zimbabwe's decision to pull out was a one off and should not be taken as a precedent. It's a given that they had the votes around the table but the political backlash would have resulted in the venue having to be changed. The Twenty20 issue has been resolved but the political arguments look set to drag on and on.
Fortunately, the action this week is out in the middle and not in a conference room and what excellent action it promises to be.

The quarter finals of the Twenty20 Cup take place and the first test against South Africa gets underway on Thursday. As you would expect the market for the Twenty20 Cup is wide open and I think there is value in backing in the win market and laying on Finals day on 26th July. I'll be having my few bob on Essex and hoping their long batting line up does the business at [8.0].

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