KEY POINTS:
In the next few days, big-time cricket will run the gamut of emotions from A to Z. And then there is Zimbabwe.
There has always been Zimbabwe. It has haunted the game for the past five years, but this time it is different. This time it could split the game asunder, or perhaps just as bad, leave it as a laughing stock.
At the annual gathering of the International Cricket Council in one of Dubai's grand hotels this week, the country that has never been very good at cricket but has commanded a place at its high table for a quarter of a century will dominate proceedings.
There are other matters of gravity to attend to for a game apparently awash with cash yet paradoxically also in a state of crisis. But they will all be informed and affected by what - if anything - the ICC's board decide to do about Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe, the parlous state of test cricket everywhere but England, the vexed problem of players appearing in breakaway leagues, the concern about the takeover of Twenty20, are all to play for this week. The ICC is here to save the game, no less.
There is some wriggle room but not much and it may come down to who blinks first between England and India, and who the rest of the big 10 countries decide to support. At worst, there could be a schism in the world game.
A week ago, it had seemed straightforward. After a sudden rush of meetings and statements in a period of barely 48 hours, the ICC was destined to act decisively.
Cricket South Africa, a long-running supporter of its neighbour, astonishingly cut bilateral cricketing ties. The day after, the British Government made it clear that Zimbabwe were not welcome in England next year for their scheduled tour, or more controversially, for the World Twenty20 tournament due to be held immediately afterwards.
Meanwhile, the outgoing president of the ICC, Ray Mali, a South African, called for Zimbabwe to be put on the agenda of the ICC's board meeting today.
England at last had allies. Or so it seemed. By the weekend, India had declared that they would continue to support Zimbabwe's presence as one of 10 full members of the ICC, unless their Government decreed otherwise.
India would unquestionably take the rest of the Asian bloc countries with them in any vote. To England's dismay, Australia have been less than vociferous in expressing their keenness for Zimbabwe's membership to be suspended. West Indies, too, do not seem to be of a mind for boycotts.
There has been a great deal of posturing in the past few days and there is still time for some more. The talks behind closed doors have been aimed at cutting a deal and cricket now seems less and less likely to force confrontation. Everybody professes to be sickened by events in Zimbabwe but equally there is a mood among some countries that the cricketers should not pay.
Zimbabwean cricket officials have responded in aggressive fashion. Much is being made of the fact that Zimbabwe will be competing unhindered in the Olympic Games without the hint of any ban and are also playing their qualifying matches in football's World Cup.
Opponents of that argument have reached the point that cricket's position is different, not least because of the close links between Zimbabwe Cricket and President Robert Mugabe, once their patron.
The controversial chairman of Zimbabwe Cricket, Peter Chingoka, has suggested that the ICC is breaking its own constitution by discussing Zimbabwe since insufficient notice was given. But the discussion will proceed and there is some talk about whether Zimbabwe should even be present when their status is debated.
England yesterday were showing no sign of backing down. They are determined that Zimbabwe will not come to England next year for the World Twenty20 - although they know that if the vote goes against them the event would be moved elsewhere.
For the first time England looked prepared to call the ICC's bluff. Yesterday the ECB suggested that the loss of the event might cost US$20 million ($26.3 million). But they put pressure on the ICC by also insisting that US$5 million worth of tickets have already been sold, making it difficult to move it anywhere.
Giles Clarke and David Collier, respectively the ECB's chairman and chief executive, will have been buoyed by the British Government's determination to harden its position. From New Zealand, too, came harsh words about links with the regime.
The ECB was hoping for support from Sri Lanka, who would replace Zimbabwe as tourists to England next year, and perhaps even Pakistan who are desperate to ensure the ICC Champions Trophy is played there later this year.
England will resist at all costs the worst bargain of all. That is Zimbabwe suspending themselves from playing one-day cricket - which is all they have played for three years and badly at that - but retain their full ICC membership and all that goes with it. Mostly that is millions of dollars a year from the ICC's central funds.
Zimbabwe Cricket's finances were the subject of an independent audit by the ICC late last year. There were suspicions that the money was not being used properly. The ICC then looked extremely flaccid when it refused to make public the auditors' findings.
Cricket can never have been more reliant on the attitudes of governments in non-cricketing nations. The game feels that if there is sufficient upsurge of feeling then their members will be more easily persuaded to take decisive action.
Zimbabwe will overshadow every other item on the agenda this week. But even without it, the gathering was the most significant in the history of the ICC.
- INDPENDENT
