MCC World Cricket Committee releases statement on Zimbabwe, suggests visiting the country

The MCC World Cricket Committee has come out with a a cautiously optimistic statement on the progress made in Zimbabwe and the game.

Solomon Mire bats for Zimbabwe against Harare Sports Club PIC: Zimbabwe Cricket

The release comes after it held a series of meetings on Monday 6th and Tuesday 7th August.

It said;

After hearing reports from ICC Chief Executive David Richardson, and Vintcent van der Bijl (MCC World Cricket committee member and a consultant to Zimbabwe Cricket), the World Cricket committee agreed that the measures put in place by ICC had created a more positive environment for Zimbabwe Cricket and that there was cause for optimism for the future. It was also noted that the World Cup qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe, which included Scotland and Ireland, was completed successfully.
MCC has observed the outcome of recent elections and has taken advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and ECB regarding the possibility of touring Zimbabwe. No objections have been received.
The committee was in agreement that MCC should continue to monitor the situation and should consider sending a team to tour Zimbabwe once conditions were right. The strength of the team should be decided in consultation with Zimbabwe Cricket so as to provide the most helpful opposition to create opportunities for the appropriate level of cricketers.

ICC Chief Executive David Richardson, ICC General Manager – Strategic Communications Claire Furlong, ICC Head of Global Development William Glenwright, FICA Chief Operating Officer Tom Moffat and ECB Chief Commercial Officer Sanjay Patel were present for certain parts of the meeting, having been invited to address the committee.

Established in April 2006, MCC’s World Cricket committee is an independent body comprised of current and former international cricketers and umpires from across the globe.

Meeting twice yearly to discuss the prevalent issues in the game, MCC’s World Cricket committee acts as a complementary body to ICC and its constituent nations. Mike Gatting is the current Chairman of the committee and the current members in full can be found here. Former Zimbabwe captain Andy Flower is a past member of the committee.