Inverted apartheid: Zims should be treated like Safs

This of course is what you get when opportunistic politicians, and that includes elected prime ministers, are trying to hijack the image of the game to ride their own particular hobby horse and make fools of themselves. Much of the verbal fracas had surrounded Muttiah Muralitharan’s ‘doosra’ delivery.

More serious though, is what is happening in Zimbabwe on the player front. Much of it is messy and smacks so heavily of political intrigue that trying to discover the genuine facts of the case have become a minefield.

Now it emerges that one of the main culprits in the players’ rebellion is convener of selectors Stephen Mangongo. Not only does he not have any first-class experience, he is also strongly anti-white. He is quite happy to see the white rebels remain out in the cold and is one of several ZANU-PF support group in sport. His plans have seriously backfired when he openly admitted in an interview last week that he would ‘‘select all future Zimbabwe sides based on an Africanisation policy’’ and to hell with the consequences.

One of the consequences is cheapening proud Test records by the selection of players ill-equipped to handle world class bowling. It could see Zimbabwe be dismissed for a record low Test innings total. New Zealand hold the record at 26 against England in 1955, but it would not bother Mangono if Zimbabwe were dismissed for an even lower total.

Mangongo, say eyewitnesses, delivered more than a few verbal knuckledusters in Ozais Bvute’s direction when the second of several Robert Mugabe stooges and ZCU’s affirmative action director argued with Mangongo’s policy statements in which he ranted in typical dictatorial fashion about the need to have more blacks in the side. It was Bvute’s objection to Mangongo’s efforts to force political decisions in the selection that has not only shown up a rift in the ZCU but also just how much the Mugabe Mob is in control in a state so gripped by paranoia that it has created a culture of mistrust where once there was a clear cut selection policy. As it is, several Australian cricket writers have also been warned that should they step out of line they will be kicked out of the country.

Apart from the inverted apartheid, Zimbabwe are on a downward spiral as they force through a series of Africanisation policies.

One of the best ways to handle this is to withhold ICC status and either ban them from taking part in series that are still to be played or pull them out of the ICC tour schedule until the situation returns to normal, if that is likely.

The way some ICC countries see it, the Australian tour should be aborted, Zimbabwe’s place in the ICC Champions Trophy should go to Scotland, who finished second to the United States in the ICC’s Six Nation Challenge held in the United Arab Emirates in March. At least they won’t be as embarrassed as the current Zimbabwe side.

James Sutherland, Cricket Australia’s chief executive, has not ruled out the chances of the rest of the tour being postponed or abandoned, even at this late stage. Malcolm Speed, invited to Zimbabwe to help solve the problem, left without making any headway in the squabble. In fact the ZCU seemed to have had a change of mind over the invite. The snub is the latest in a series of chaotic manoeuvres by the ZCU to carry on as if nothing has happened.

The Basil d’Oliveira affair which eventually scuppered South Africa in 1968, is about to return in a new guise 36 years later.