The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Australia— Zimbabwe series cancelled

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Wednesday, May 16, 2007
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Australia— Zimbabwe series cancelled

Melbourne: The proposed ODI cricket series between Australia and Zimbabwe stood cancelled after the African nation rejected the offer to play at a neutral venue.

According to an Australian Associated Press (AAP) report, Cricket Australia (CA) chief executive James Sutherland spoke to his Zimbabwean counterpart Ozias Bvute on the possibility of playing the series at a neutral venue after the Australian government banned its cricketers from travelling to Zimbabwe in protest against the Robert Mugabe regime there. However, Bvute shot down the proposal.

"Their (Zimbabwe) cricketers should not be affected by their regime. If we can accommodate them in any other way, I think that makes a great deal of sense,'' an ACA spokesperson said.

Though perceived as pro-Zimbabwe in the ICC set-up, BCCI has refrained from criticising Australia for boycotting the tour of the African nation, which, the Indian Board felt, was essentially a government decision. A spokesman for the BCCI said with the government banning the tour, Cricket Australia (CA) had little to do in this matter. — PTI

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