Enough, Zimbabwe!

Sadly, I think it's time for the ICC to suspend Zimbabwe from all international cricket competition. Mugabe's conduct in running the country has finally, in my opinion, made it untenable for any side to play cricket there. The ICC, of course, is going to do no such thing.

In the past I've supported Zimbabwean cricket's right to remain on the world stage, acknowledging the complexity of political and commercial interests that have bound the ICC and its members. But how, really, can we continue to justify sending teams to play in a country whose fabric is being torn to shreds by a reckless and deluded president, who just happens to also be Patron of the Zimbabwe Cricket Union? The "Drive Out Rubbish" program is, for me, the last straw.

This is going to have to be one topic that I will have to cover over a series of entries, in order to deal with the arguments for, the arguments against, and the arguments for indifference. However, it's not every day of the week that I find myself on the same side of the fence as Alexander Downer :-)

Please see two of my previous items on the Zimbabwe question: I discussed the issue towards the end of my review of the 2003 Wisden Almanack, and at length in my January 2004 item Zimbabwe: A terribly British problem.