Herald Sun
17 June 2010
Zimbabwe has denied it was trying to block former Prime Minister John Howard becoming president of the International Cricket Council.
A Government minister stopped short yesterday of saying so, but claimed cricket officials were pointing the finger at powerful neighbour South Africa as the leader of the anti-Howard charge.
The troubled nation’s Sport Minister Senator David Coltart met Cricket Australia in Melbourne and will hold talks with the Government in Canberra today to plead for help in restoring Zimbabwe’s Test status and political and social reputation.
He was on tricky ground, given the international cricket media has been reporting for weeks that Zimbabwe was agitating to stymie Howard’s elevation to the game’s most senior administrative post.
Australia and New Zealand nominated him in March to become vice-president and then to succeed India’s Sharad Pawar, who is about to begin a two-year term.
The ICC meets in Singapore soon to vote on whether to endorse this accepted protocol or to ask Australia and NZ to choose again.
While South Africa and Sri Lanka have also expressed reluctance, Zimbabwe has been seen to be adopting most hard-line stance because of the Howard Government’s imposition of sanctions.
Senator Coltart, a human rights lawyer who is a founding member of the Movement for Democratic Change, now a partner with the despotic Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF in a power-sharing transitional Government, said he had asked Zimbabwe Cricket to explain its position.
He said president Peter Chingoka and general manager Ozias Bvute had assured him no vote had been taken, but admitted: “I honestly don’t know what discussions they might have had in private.
“I have to rely on what they’ve told me and they’ve been unequivocal and emphatic in that regard – they say this is being driven by South Africa and I’ve been shown a letter from the president of South African cricket which indicates (that).â€
He said the letter to the outgoing ICC chairman David Morgan “is clear evidence that they oppose this and the letter refers to opposition from other countries as wellâ€.
Senator Coltart said he could not legally dictate to the cricket board, but “they understand I play a pivotal role in seeking the full readmission of Zimbabwe to Test status and in normalising relations not just with Australian cricket but other unions that have had concerns. That is where we have a very clear consensus.
“They understand that if they take a decision that undermines that, it obviously affects relationships between me and them.â€
Sounds like pollie-speak for don’t rock the boat – or else.
Zimbabwe hoped to be back in Test cricket by next May after voluntarily dropping out four years ago, he said.
He had asked Australia to send an A-team or youth team to play four-day matches.
Recognising the delicacy of the Howard issue, he said: “One cannot exactly come to Australia and ask for Australia’s help if we are going to frustrate their clear intent.â€