SA helped save Zim cricket tour

South African cricket played a key role in behind-the-scenes negotiations to save the England tour of Zimbabwe.

The tour went ahead this week when the Zimbabwean government allowed the entire media contingent accompanying the touring team entry into that country. Previously the Zimbabwean government had barred 13 journalists, including the BBC.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) was on the verge of cancelling the tour if all members of the media contingent were not allowed entry.

Now it has emerged that the United Cricket Board (UCB) of South Africa helped break the impasse. It has been learnt that the president of the Zimbabwe Cricket Union, Peter Chingoka, phoned the UCB this week asking for help.

The UCB contacted the South African government's sports ministry and the office of President Thabo Mbeki. After discussions, the Zimbabwe government agreed to drop its objections to some of the media people accompanying the England team.

A source in the UCB said South African cricket's own interests and those of world cricket were also in mind when it agreed to help resolve the stand-off between the Zimbabwe government and the England cricket team management.

"There would have been repercussions in South African cricket," the source said. "There was a feeling among some members of our cricket that if England did not go to Zimbabwe they would not be welcome here."

A cancellation of the tour could also have led to a split between Australia and New Zealand, who would have backed England, and the other Test-playing nations.

The chairperson of the EBC, David Morgan, said in Harare that financial concerns needed to have priority over moral questions about Robert Mugabe's regime. Morgan said that in the huge market that is world sport money was a prime factor, particularly with the ever-present threat of fines from the International Cricket Council (ICC) if England withdrew from the tour for anything other than safety or security grounds.

"We have sympathy with the people here but the ECB is in business - our trade is cricket and the revenue part of our trade is international cricket," Morgan said.

"In order to trade internationally, we have to play by the rules of the ICC and the rules are such that member countries are not allowed to avoid tours as part of the Future Tours Programme for moral reasons."

Morgan also admitted it would create a difficult situation if he were asked to shake hands with Mugabe.

It is believed that Mugabe could turn up at one of the one-day matches in his role as patron of the Zimbabwe Cricket Union. Morgan said he had received advice about what to do if the situation arose.

"The Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has in recent times shaken the hand of Mr Mugabe. It will be a difficult call. I've had confidential advice from the Foreign Office and that advice will be uppermost in my mind."