The Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) chairman Peter Chingoka and board member Ozias Bvute gave a presentation this week to the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) management board at Lord’s, re-stating the importance of reciprocal agreements and in-bound tours to the cricketing economy of Zimbabwe.
Said Chingoka: “International cricket boards earn the majority of their income from hosting inbound tours, so it is vital for cricket in Zimbabwe that overseas teams continue to visit our country. The West Indies and Bangladesh have done so in recent months, Sri Lanka is touring at present and Australia and England are due over the next few months.
“This presentation was an important opportunity for the ZCU to communicate directly to the people who will make a final decision on the tour. They now have a full picture of the structure, aims and player development programmes of the ZCU and the importance of inbound tours to the funding and provision of cricketing facilities for the 60,000 children and young people who are now playing the game in our country.”
Doubts over the tour have long existed – during last year’s Cricket World Cup in South Africa, England boycotted a game due to be staged in Zimbabwe on security grounds. There is considerable political tension between the Zimbabwe and UK governments.
English cricket chiefs are reconsidering plans to tour Zimbabwe later this year, after a presentation from the African nation.
