The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : First one-dayer postponed; Zimbabwe lifts ban on journalists

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Friday, Nov 26, 2004

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Sport - Cricket

First one-dayer postponed; Zimbabwe lifts ban on journalists

HARARE, NOV. 25. Zimbabwe's first one-day game against England was postponed on Thursday but the tour goes ahead after the Zimbabwean Government reversed its decision and allowed 13 banned British journalists into the country.

The two teams were due to meet in Harare on Friday. But England's decision to stay in Johannesburg, South Africa while the issue of the banned journalists was resolved had meant a delayed arrival in the Zimbabwe capital.

England team spokesman Andrew Walpole told The Associated Press the team remained committed to playing the full five one-day internationals, but could not immediately say when the postponed match would take place.

England and Wales Cricket Board chairman, David Morgan, who was in Harare for talks with Zimbabwe cricket board directors and officials, planned to join the players in South Africa later on Thursday to discuss the new schedule, Walpole said.

Sunday's second game will be the first in the five-game series.

The ECB said the players, who cancelled their flight to Zimbabwe on Wednesday, were now due to board a plane in Johannesburg on Friday to fly to Harare.

`ZCU not involved'

Zimbabwe Cricket Union Vice-Chairman, Ahmed Ebrahim, said the initial refusal to accredit some British cricket writers and television commentators had nothing to do with Zimbabwe cricket.

``It is strictly a government decision and nothing to do with us,'' he said. ``We are only concerned with running cricket here. Accreditation is not down to us at all, we merely submit the applications.'' — AP

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