No penalty if England cancel Zimbabwe tour

13 April 2012

England will not be penalised financially by cricket's governing body if they call off next year's tour of Zimbabwe.

Their decision to pull out of last February's World Cup match in Harare because of safety fears could yet cost them more than £1million in compensation.

But any decision to withdraw from next autumn's trip to Zimbabwe would not start the cash meter ticking again because tours, unlike major tournaments, are effectively private matters between two countries.

"There are no sanctions we would impose on anyone," said International Cricket Council president Ehsan Mani during his visit to Bangladesh to promote the forthcoming Under-19 World Cup.

England are already under pressure to cancel the Zimbabwe trip.

Lord MacLaurin, former chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board and now chairman of the national team's main sponsors, Vodafone, has described the idea of playing cricket in a country accused of human rights atrocities as "abhorrent".

Vodafone has a four-year contract with the ECB worth £3m, and MacLaurin said recently: "We do not want to support a side that goes and plays in a country with the sort of regime that is reviled not just by this company but by many in the country.

"To do so would be abhorrent and not good for the brand image of Vodafone nor England cricket."

It seems highly unlikely the tour will go ahead, unless there are significant political changes in Zimbabwe. But the ECB have so far stood firm against making a snap decision and nothing concrete is likely to come out of Lord's until January at the earliest.

David Morgan, the Board's chairman, responded to MacLaurin's comments in September by saying: "It makes no sense, 13 months before we are due to depart, to come out with a big statement.

"We live in an uncertain and changing world and a lot can happen in that time."

Of obvious financial concern to the ECB is the possibility that a cancelled tour of Zimbabwe could lead to repercussions.

England will play India in a threematch NatWest Challenge series next September before hosting the Champions Trophy event, with the 12 major cricketing nations due to play matches at The Ova l , Southampton's Rose Bowl and Edgbaston in September.

Asked whether there could be a boycott in the event of England withdrawing from the Zimbabwe trip, Mani said: "I don't think this is going to be an issue at all.

"The two things are totally unconnected. One is a bilateral matter between England and Zimbabwe and the other is between all the countries and the ICC.

"Every country has signed an events agreement with the ICC to take part in every ICC event."

As for England's imminent tour of Sri Lanka, Mani and Council chief executive Malcolm Speed are optimistic the six-week trip will go ahead as planned, despite political turmoil on the island. Michael Vaughan's squad will leave here tomorrow and head for Sri Lanka, where the government is suspended and there are fears of a breakdown in the peace process with the country's rebel Tamil Tigers.

"We have received assurances, and the ECB have received assurances, that security will be at the highest level," Mani said. "We have no reasons to have concerns about players' safety."

England are due to play three oneday internationals and three Tests in Sri Lanka.

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No penalty if England cancel Zimbabwe tour

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