Cricket ban will kill NZ cup bid

The Government's plan to ban the Zimbabwe cricket team will cost New Zealand Cricket any chance of co-hosting the 2011 Cricket World Cup.

NZ Cricket chief executive Martin Snedden made it clear on his return from London yesterday that the International Cricket Council would not award hosting rights to a country which had banned another member.

He also confirmed the Black Caps' tour to Zimbabwe next month would go ahead despite intense public and political opposition to it.

Mr Snedden said the ICC had made no formal statement that it would shut New Zealand out of hosting the 2011 World Cup, with Australia, if the Government banned Zimbabwe.

But, he said: "It is my belief certainly, from the feedback I received from the ICC, that that's what would happen.

"They won't take the tournament to a country that has a ban on one of its members.

"It has to be understood clearly that already we are facing major consequences of the Government decision to withdraw the visas for the Zimbabwe tour of New Zealand. There's some real damage that's been done."

Losing any chance of co-hosting the Cricket World Cup was "a lost opportunity for New Zealand. That makes me really sad."

The ICC will decide next June who is awarded the World Cup, but Cricket Australia is now expected to put in its own bid.

While the revenue from the tournament is split among ICC members, NZ Cricket might have earned up to $20 million from the tournament, with half the 54 likely games being played here.

Mr Snedden would only estimate the losses at "millions".

The Government's ban on the Zimbabwe team was announced a day after the Black Caps team to tour Zimbabwe was named last week.

Ever since, pressure on NZ Cricket to call off the tour has firmed because of the escalation of human rights abuses by President Robert Mugabe's rogue regime.

Mr Snedden yesterday repeated that NZ Cricket was bound contractually to tour.

To cancel would incur a $2.8 million ICC fine, probably see New Zealand suspended from international cricket for an unknown period and possibly spark compensation claims from Zimbabwe for other costs such as lost television rights.

"There is a flow-on effect which could be a hell of a lot bigger," Mr Snedden said.

The loss of the Zimbabwe tour here is estimated at $3 million and comes after lost revenue last summer when the Sri Lanka cricketers went home on compassionate grounds after the Boxing Day tsunami.

Mr Snedden said the cricketers had seen the images being screened from Zimbabwe and were sympathetic to its people.

"I know it's a fight we can't win.

"I'm not complaining about the Government decision. I'm pointing out the consequences."

Cup conflict

Zimbabwe hosted the 2003 Cricket World Cup amid security and political concerns which saw New Zealand call off one of its games in Kenya.

Local cricketers Henry Olonga and Andy Flower wore black armbands in one of the host team's matches to mourn the death of democracy there.

They also issued a statement condemning routine killings and torture under the Mugabe regime and were both forced to flee overseas.

Olonga this week said if a sporting boycott would help ease the suffering of Zimbabweans it should be backed.

The 2007 World Cup will be hosted by the West Indies.