Sydney Morning Herald
16 June 2010
By Daniel Brettig
AAP
Australia are set to host a Zimbabwean touring team next year for the first time since 2003, following a meeting between Cricket Australia and the strife-torn country’s sports minister, David Coltart.
In keeping with Zimbabwe’s plans for gradual re-engagement with the cricket community, any series will be played between “A” teams from the two countries. This still represents a major step for the African nation after years of sanctions and international condemnation.
The Zimbabwe tour, likely to take place in mid-2011 at a time once slated for Test matches between the two countries, would also be the first step in a reciprocal agreement that would also see an Australia A side play matches in Zimbabwe.
“There is a spot in 2011, but the trouble is that slot was for two Tests in Australia and even though Zimbabwe wants to re-commence playing Test cricket next year, there’s a recognition that to throw this young team into the Test arena against Australia at this stage would be counter-productive,” Coltart told AAP.
“We’ve discussed other means of utilising that slot but with more appropriate opposition.
“It’s very much tentative at this stage.
“(An A series) is what the discussions are centring on, the exchange of A teams rather than at Test level.
“We’ve discussed an exchange of tours, in other words (tours) both ways.”
Coltart is due to meet with Foreign Minister Stephen Smith in Canberra on Thursday, and expects a similarly fruitful dialogue.
Smith told Federal Parliament in March that he favoured further engagement with areas of Zimbabwe life that were showing progress, while the Department of Foreign Affairs has made it clear there will be no diplomatic opposition to the resumption of formal cricket contact.
“I’ve had a number of very constructive meetings with the Australian ambassador to Zimbabwe, John Courtney, and he’s certainly been very sympathetic to my arguments and I know his view reflects Canberra’s view, so I don’t anticipate difficult meetings tomorrow,” said Coltart.