Chingoka warns New Zealand over boycott

Peter Chingoka, the Zimbabwe Cricket chairman, has said that New Zealand would be unjustified if they opted to boycott their tour of the country in August.

Chingoka's comments came after a number of New Zealand politicians called on the players to stay away. On Tuesday, Helen Clark, New Zealand's prime minister, said that she would "not be seen dead" in Zimbabwe. Much of the unease centres on Zimbabwe's poor human rights record and the dubious nature of Robert Mugabe's recent victory in parliamentary elections.

But, in a echo of the rhetoric which preceded England's tour last year, Chingoka reiterated that the ICC did not recognise "moral grounds" as being a reason for a team to stay away.

"The ICC has in place a future tours programme which has a document called `members agreement' attached to it," he explained. "In that agreement, there is also what is called acceptable non-compliance, and member nations can only boycott a tour if it is only naturally acceptable to do so."

Given the precedent of the England tour, it seems at the moment unlikely that New Zealand will not make the trip, although it is less certain if all the players will travel. Zimbabwe cricket desperately needs the exposure and cash the trip will bring.

However, if New Zealand do stay away then they would face massive fines. There was talk of England being fined several million dollars when they were being reported to be on the verge of cancelling their tour.