Cricket: Tour opponents 'out of touch with reality'

Heath Mills

Players advocate Heath Mills has leaped to the defence of the New Zealand cricketers, claiming opponents of the upcoming Zimbabwe tour are out of touch with professional reality.

The New Zealand Cricket Players Association chief said that contrary to popular belief, the country's top cricketers were well-informed on the internal crisis within Zimbabwe, and were comfortable with the pro-tour stance of their governing body.

"They've been receiving updated information on this issue for months," Mills said yesterday.

"They're extremely sympathetic to the situation in Zimbabwe, just as they are when they tour different parts of Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.

"However, they also understand that part of their job is to protect the interests and future of the game in New Zealand, and to co-operate within the international cricket fraternity."

Mills said the Federation of International Cricketers Association not only accepted the binding nature of the ICC's future tours programme, but understood how important it was to a healthy world game.

He said the players were also well-aware of the likely consequences should a team breach their touring contracts and risk being ostracised by the most viable commercial market in the industry.

"Most of the people making all the noise about us not playing against Zimbabwe don't have to bear any consequences of that action.

"Already, just from the probable cancellation of the Zimbabwe visit in December, the players are facing the possibility of re-jigged contracts. You can't take $3 million out of a $20 million budget and expect nothing to change."

It was all very well having people sitting at home in judgment, but only the New Zealand cricketers were facing the possibility of lost earnings, and subsequent pressure on expenses such as mortgage repayments and childcare.

Mills said the players were dismayed about the probable loss of the 2011 World Cup, which ICC experts say is almost certain to be a casualty of the Government's ban on Zimbabwe.

New Zealand was bidding to co-host the tournament with Australia, but is expected to withdraw from the race if the Government proceeds with its proposed sporting boycott.

"The players are really filthy about that. They're hugely disappointed that they'll never play a World Cup on home soil in their careers.

"People talk about the 2011 World Cup being a long way off, but the decision-making process on the hosting rights is already under way, and we haven't a dog's show if we ban Zimbabwe."

Former New Zealand captain Ken Rutherford has slammed the Government's decision to deny visas to the Zimbweans in December, describing the move as a sad day for New Zealand sport.

Rutherford, one of those who opted to remain on the bomb-torn tour of Sri Lanka in 1992, said there was a world of difference to the old sporting boycotts of the 1970s and 1980s, and today's situation.

"Back in the days when Springbok tours were being called off, sport was amateur and the players could at least go back to their jobs," he said.

"But in today's professional world, their job is playing cricket - so it's more like a restraint of trade."

Rutherford said he was uneasy about the Government's "draconian" move, and said it would kill any 2011 World Cup aspirations dead in the water, and leave New Zealand on the outer with the ICC.

He also backed next month's tour to Zimbabwe, saying the recent political pressure placed on the cricketers was of a populist nature, "no doubt fuelled by the proximity of the upcoming election".

"I don't like it one little bit, I don't mind saying," he said of the anti-tour sentiment. "Disregarding the issue of money and fines, I think we should be going there anyway."