SPORTS EDGE

Cricket
Zimbabwe vote today?
BBC Online, undated
A vote on whether Zimbabwe should be suspended from the International Cricket Council (ICC) has been postponed until Thursday.The two-day ICC meeting got underway in Dubai on Wednesday but the vote will not take place until the final day.The England and Wales and South African Cricket Boards have already cut ties with Zimbabwe.But support for Zimbabwe is growing in the sub-continent with India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka set to back them.BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew is in Dubai for the two-day meeting.He said: "It's such a divisive issue this, there is certainly the thought it could mar the whole of the meeting."Therefore they will postpone it until tomorrow and get the other items out of the way first."The belief is India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will all side with Zimbabwe. That would avoid their suspension but world cricket could grind to a halt and that does leave a real issue for England and the World Twenty20 next summer."They are looking for a compromise position and that could mean Zimbabwe suspending themselves on the grounds of not being good enough at the moment."For Zimbabwe to have their full member status removed, at least seven of the 10 members at the board meeting would need to support the expulsion.But if the Asia countries side with Zimbabwe, who also have a vote, the proposal would be defeated.The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has already stated it will not host a tour by Zimbabwe next year.This was after Cricket South Africa broke off relations with their near neighbours because of the political situation in the country.But Sri Lanka Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge, speaking to the BBC's Sinhala Service, said: "I think we should not get sports involved in political issues."There has been a military regime in Pakistan for a long time. But Pakistan was never banned from playing international cricket."He stressed Sri Lanka's policy did not mean the country condoned the political situation there.Niranjan Shah, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), said: "There is no reason to remove Zimbabwe."We understand England's position because their government wants Zimbabwe out but we will back Zimbabwe to stay in the ICC."The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), meanwhile, has made it clear it will send its A team on a tour to Zimbabwe in August as scheduled, irrespective of any action taken by the ICC.And the Press Trust of India has quoted a PCB spokesman as saying: "We don't think Zimbabwe cricket should face penalties because of political issues in that country. We will not support any sanctions."If Zimbabwe remain a full member, England's hopes of hosting next year's ICC World Twenty20 tournament could be put in jeopardy.Although the ICC would not take punitive action against the ECB for preventing Zimbabwe touring in the light of a formal government instruction, refusal to allow a full member to take part in the World Twenty20 could result in the tournament being moved elsewhere.Such a move would be a huge financial blow to the ECB, with huge crowds expected at the three grounds chosen to host matches. The tournament schedule has already been published and tickets went on sale at 1000 BST on Monday.The UK government will reassess the situation if the ICC insists that Zimbabwe play in the World Twenty20 but is holding a firm line in its calls for a boycott because of the close links between Zimbabwe Cricket and the regime of president Robert Mugabe.Culture secretary Andy Burnham told BBC 5 Live's Sportsweek: "The first step is we'll meet the ECB, listen to their report back of the meeting and consider the arguments."If we haven't held sway we would listen to the arguments of the other ICC members but our position is completely clear."We think, in the current circumstances in Zimbabwe, it isn't right for any tour to take place."However, he added: "I would not want to be in a position of overruling a governing body in sport. I vigorously defend the independence of our sporting bodies and will always to that."