Cricket: Howard's appeal rejected

SYDNEY - The International Cricket Council denies it is legitimising the Zimbabwe Government by going ahead with World Cup games in that country.

ICC chairman Malcolm Gray yesterday hit back at comments from Australian Prime Minister John Howard, who wanted the ICC to revisit its decision to play six cup games in Zimbabwe.

"I am disappointed that they took the decision they did," Howard said. "You have a completely illegitimate, undemocratic, stolen Government in Zimbabwe. You have appalling human rights abuses occurring in that country.

"What I am saying to the International Cricket Council is, 'please look at this again'."

Gray said Howard was wrong to say that playing in Zimbabwe legitimised Robert Mugabe's regime.

"I am aware of that and he is wrong in saying we are legitimising it," Gray said of Howard's comments. "It is up to him to make up his mind together with his Government and convey whatever his decisions are to the Australian Cricket Board."

Gray insisted it was not the ICC's job to take into account political issues when deciding on match venues.

The ICC sent a security and safety delegation to Zimbabwe last month and that group recommended the games could go ahead.

The ICC said on Sunday that under tournament rules, a team would forfeit its match points to Zimbabwe if they did not play a cup game in that country because of political considerations.

The matches due to be played in Zimbabwe involve Australia, Namibia, India, the Netherlands, Pakistan and England against the home country.

In London, British Prime Minister Tony Blair intervened in the row by ordering the England and Wales Cricket Board to decide whether England play in Zimbabwe. Blair's move came after International Development Secretary Clare Short called on England to pull out of their opening World Cup match in Harare on February 13, citing Mugabe's alleged abuses of human rights.

Blair's comments came after board chief executive Tim Lamb complained that no British Government official had contacted his organisation over Zimbabwe.

Blair said: "The Government's position is clear: the decision on whether England should play in Zimbabwe rests with the England and Wales Cricket Board - an independent sporting body.

"The ECB can be in no doubt about the Government's views. There are no legal powers available to the Government to ban a sporting team from participation.

"However, in the light of the deteriorating political and humanitarian situation in the country, ministers have made clear that if the decision were for them, England should not play in Zimbabwe."

The World Cup starts on February 8. Most games will be played in South Africa.

- AGENCIES