Archives
December 2013(3)
June 2013(3)
May 2013(2)
February 2013(1)
January 2013(2)
November 2012(1)
September 2012(1)
January 2012(1)
December 2011(3)
October 2011(1)
September 2011(1)
August 2011(3)
March 2011(2)
February 2011(1)
December 2010(1)
August 2010(1)
July 2010(3)
June 2010(7)
May 2010(5)
April 2010(4)
March 2010(5)
February 2010(4)
January 2010(7)
December 2009(8)
November 2009(14)
October 2009(11)
September 2009(12)
August 2009(10)
July 2009(13)
June 2009(16)
May 2009(15)
April 2009(14)
March 2009(13)
February 2009(11)
January 2009(15)
December 2008(12)
November 2008(13)
October 2008(15)
September 2008(14)
August 2008(15)
July 2008(12)
June 2008(21)
May 2008(18)
April 2008(14)
March 2008(19)
February 2008(11)
January 2008(19)
December 2007(11)
November 2007(13)
October 2007(13)
September 2007(18)
August 2007(12)
July 2007(20)
June 2007(16)
May 2007(18)
April 2007(15)
March 2007(24)
February 2007(11)
January 2007(15)
December 2006(15)
November 2006(18)
October 2006(15)
September 2006(13)
August 2006(14)
July 2006(15)
June 2006(17)
May 2006(3)
Categories
Africa(1)
Christianity(7)
Cricket(122)
F1(100)
Football(184)
General(8)
Health(1)
Melbourne(51)
Politics(5)
Television(19)
Tennis(132)
Zimbabwe(63)
Recent Postings
Socceroos drawn in tough group
All set for World Cup draw
Mandela dies
Mugabe announces election date
Kewell joins Melbourne Heart
Recent Comments
Hugo on Eurosport beams Nations Cup matches: Really hoping Nigeria do well in this tournament b ...
Delivery Hero on England, France paired in Euro 2012: Can't wait for Euro 2012! ...
Wes on 2011/12 English Premiership Preview: Thanks Sybil, I think Man City cannot easily be di ...
Wes on 2011/12 English Premiership Preview: Thanks Bambo for the comment. I think its going to ...
Phil on 2011/12 English Premiership Preview: Good post, this looks like a very unpredictable se ...
Blogroll
BBC Blog Network
authorblog
mattheaton.com
Football Down Under
Dave's World
F1 Fanatic
Full Time Analysis
Owalog
Counter Steer
Rumblings about Australia's tour to Zimbabwe
One of the hot topics this past week has been the issue of abandoning the Australia's cricket team scheduled tour of Zimbabwe later in the year.
I think the good thing so far in this issue is the willingness on the part of the Australia government to pay any fine that the International Cricket Council (ICC) may impose on Cricket Australia should they abandon the tour. Its not good to advocate abandoning the tour and then let the sporting body foot the bill.
From a cricket perspective ignoring the political side of the story, Zimbabwe playing Australia is a total mismatch and I don't know what the ICC thinks will be gained from this tour. Recently Zimbabwe lost all its matches against lowly ranked Bangladesh and they also failed to win a single match at the World Cup and playing Australia can only lead to some records which just distort the existing records.
Zimbabwean cricket reached a peak at the World Cup in South Africa but since then problems on and off the pitch have meant that the cricket itself, the sport, has taken a back-seat. It is in this context that Australia touring will bring a mismatch which nobody really wants and I think Zimbabwe should be playing sides like Kenya and Ireland more often and then play the Test playing nations later when its form and standard has improved.
At the moment its hard to see this tour going ahead but all the same I will be following the developments closely and I am
keen to see what the ICC's response will be should the tour be abandoned as expected.
This tour has now been cancelled and I think that the right decision has been taken. What I don't understand is why there was this debate on whether to go or not to go for this tour in the first place. You cannot justify sending the team to Zimbabwe because the cricket over there is all political and by going there you are endorsing the cricket hierarchy in that country. Cancelling this tour should have been a very easy decision.
reply
I think it was good that Howard got this issue to be discussed or debated first. I don't think it was a case of indecision or anything like that because this tour was always going to be cancelled in my opinion but what the discussion did was to bring to the people an awareness of the situation in Zimbabwe and I think that's the most important bit.
As a result of the debate a lot of people not only in Australia but around the world are now aware of the situation in Zimbabwe and that's worth more gold for me.
reply
I agree with you Danny. I also think that even though there was a bit of a debate to start with it still was an easy decision for the government and that's why they went upfront and declared that if there was going to be any ICC fine, they were going to pay it.
reply
Good that the government took this decision instead of burdening sports administrators and players into taking their own moral and personal decisions.
The New Zealand government took a similar decision two years and it was also very good. Its time that people show their distaste for the state of affairs in Zimbabwe and by proceeding with this tour it would have looked like endorsing the regime.
I hope the ICC has got the message now and cancel all the tours to Zimbabwe.
reply
Anything that helps highlight the plight of the many Zimbabwean people is good. In that case I support the boycott of the tour and even though it may achieve nothing on the ground, the message is loud and clear.
reply
Like any story there are winners and losers.
I agree that Mugabe is a man who should not be tolerated and what he has done to Zim is disgusting. However the people it will hurt the most are the Zimbabweans who will now miss out on something that could have taken them away (albeit momentarily) from their troubles.
If Zim had oil I am sure the 'Coalition of the Willing' would quick step it from Iraq to kick out Mugabe. The ICC is to blame for having Cricket Australia / Gov't needing to make this decision, but the world at large should hang their heads in shame for allowing Mugabe to destroy the country.
Dave
reply
I don't think the ordinary people will even realise that this tour has been cancelled because they are busy trying make sure that they survive amid the ever increasing inflation. But I think if the tour had gone ahead and Zim had won at least one match then that would have brought smiles and jubilation to a lot of people but the current Zim team winning against Australia won't just happen.
reply
Very sad state of affairs that a once prosperous nation has turned into a basket case. While, yes, the international community has to take some blame for not intervening, the biggest blame lies with the regional groupings like SADC and the African Union.
I also feel that Britain abrogated its responsibilities as a former colonial power with citizens with huge financial interests in Zimbabwe. Australia has done its part in highlighting this issue, and the lack of civil vibrancy in Zimbabwe is another factor and rightly so, Australia wants to promote the emergence of opposing voices.
The lack of conscience on the Zimbabwean leadership is beyond my comprehension...you cant separate sport from politics in this instance
reply