Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has defended its decision to turn down

[bayhaus]

http://www.newsday.co.zw/article/2011-0 ... wn-ireland

“It is very unfortunate that recent media reports aim to portray Zimbabwe as unwilling to play against Ireland and insinuate the reason is based on an attempt to ostracise them.”

“Zimbabwe has suffered greatly from the politics of exclusion and we would not wish that on any one. Sport is about participation and increasing the numbers that participate to allow for the sustainability of any given activity.”

“Recent media reports had linked Zimbabwe’s unwillingness to commit to the Ireland tour to the recent exclusion of affiliate nations like Ireland from the 2015 World Cup.

“Zimbabwe has a full international and domestic calendar this season and we are not obliged to play against Ireland. Our offer to arrange playing opportunities with them is spearheaded by nothing less than the spirit of sportsmanship and inclusion.

“With Australian and South African A sides, Bangladesh, New Zealand and Pakistan all having confirmed to tour Zimbabwe between June and November this year, there is simply no slot available to accommodate them in 2011,” said Bvute.

[Conant]

Ok. Maybe Maweni was right.

In earnest he's the only one who bothered to check the schedule

[maehara]

Formal press release from ZC:

STATEMENT BY ZIMBABWE CRICKET MANAGING DIRECTOR OZIAS BVUTE ON FUTURE IRELAND TOURS
 
It is very unfortunate that recent media reports aim to portray Zimbabwe as unwilling to play against Ireland and insinuate that the reason is based on an attempt to ostracize them.  Zimbabwe has suffered greatly from the politics of exclusion and we would not wish that on any one. Sport is about participation and increasing the numbers that participate to allow for the sustainability of any given activity.
 
Cricket Ireland can confirm that when they toured here in September we voluntarily made them an offer to arrange fixtures against them and have since been in communication with their administrators. Our last correspondence proposed January 2012 as a possible date.
 
Zimbabwe has a full international and domestic calendar this season and we are not obliged to play against Ireland. Our offer to arrange playing opportunities with them is spearheaded by nothing less than the spirit of sportsmanship and inclusion. With the Australian and South African A sides, Bangladesh, New Zealand and Pakistan all having confirmed to tour Zimbabwe between June and November this year there is simply no slot available to accommodate them in 2011.
 
That being said, it must be noted that the latter half of the year has been deliberately blocked for our domestic cricket as we endeavor to ensure that all our national players are able to turn out for their local franchise teams and they cannot do this if they are called to national duty. Our long term strategy is to grow our domestic cricket and increase the spectatorship numbers for our local games. The people in Kwekwe, Mutare, Masvingo and Bulawayo will only support their franchises if they can expect to see players that they can identify. The greater the crowds the more likely the corporate world is to further support the game. It is our hope that in the future, with these efforts, we will have a domestic competition that is in itself financially viable and sustainable.
 
We remain a friend to all.

[Maweni]

Warren Dutrom himself agrees: http://www.espncricinfo.com/ireland/con ... 10923.html.

"Ozias is absolutely correct," he told ESPNcricinfo. "In the recent Chief Executives Committee meeting, he was extremely supportive of the associates and spoke out strongly in their favour. There is nothing sinister in this whatsoever. We were initially in conversation about travelling to Zimbabwe at the end of the year, but as one of the smaller Full Member nations, they have to wait for the bigger members to organise their own schedules. Simply, there was a clash between the time we wanted to come down, and the contractual obligations they are required to fulfil through the FTP."

So as we are in the process of change thing forum's name to CricketIrelandForum, let's listen to the Chief Executive of our governing body, Doutrom, who will tell you we've been trying to help the Irish, despite nearly every Irish fan abusing us over the last 2 weeks...though I'm pretty sure all 500 of them have a this stage...

[maehara]

So as we are in the process of change thing forum's name to CricketIrelandForum

Hey, I can change the name if you like. Only take me a moment. But it seems to me that news about Ireland's proposed tour of Zimbabwe would be perfectly relevant and on-topic for a Zimbabwe cricket forum.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have some humble pie to eat over this one...

[Conant]

Lol! King Bvute holds then in spell binding awe, once again