Ebrahim dismisses doubts over Zimbabwe's status

Max Ebrahim, Zimbabwe's embattled convener of selectors, has dismissed calls for Zimbabwe's Test status to be suspended following the side's dismal showing in South Africa. "It took New Zealand 45 years before they had their first win," he said. "Look at what's happening to New Zealand now."

Ebrahim, who, so rumours suggest, is likely to be replaced as part of a deal reached with some rebel players, told the Cape Argus that there was no question of the ICC revoking Zimbabwe's status.

"In 2004, because of the contractual dispute with 15 of our players, we asked for an eight-month break from Test cricket. No team would be able to cope adequately if they lost 15 players at once," he explained. "But now we are delighted to have players like Heath Streak and Andy Blignaut back in the side, and we expect more of the rebel players to return which will mean that we will have a bigger pool of players to draw from."

And Ebrahim looked to point out the positives from recent games, where some of Zimbabwe's younger players got a chance to perform in the Test arena. "Some of them have really put their hands up and have shown us that there is plenty of talent available," he said. "Graeme Cremer, for instance, has been a real find. To bowl 26 overs and take three wickets for just over 100 runs against South Africa was really exceptional. And he's just a baby - he's only 18 ... he's got a great future ahead of him.

"So we have some very promising young players, and with some older and wiser heads back in the team, I believe Zimbabwe can really go places," he said. "I think those people who say countries like Zimbabwe and Bangladesh shouldn't play Test cricket are not really talking about cricket. If it's just results that count, perhaps there should be only four countries with Test status,"

Ebrahim added that it was planned to play four-day domestic cricket and also to bring in additional coaches from overseas to help speed up development.

But pressure from other areas is growing and the ICC will be reviewing the situation when it meets later this week in Delhi. Crowds stayed away from the matches in South Africa and even television companies are now questioning the value of covering such one-sided games. Add into the equation increasing concerns that Test cricket is being devalued by matches of the kind seen in Cape Town, and Ebrahim's comments appear more designed to talk up the state of Zimbabwe cricket ahead of that meeting.