India to play one-off test in Zimbabwe (4 Feb 1998)

4 Feb 1998

India to play one-off test in Zimbabwe

the Herald

Zimbabwe will tackle India in a one-off cricket Test and three one-day internationals at home later this year.

Don Arnott, the Zimbabwe Cricket Union chief executive, said yesterday the tourists would also play one other three-day warm-up game on the tour scheduled to begin on September 24 and end on October 12. A full itinerary was to be released soon.

India have agreed to come to compensate Zimbabwe for the loss of what would have been the inaugural visit by the full West Indies side at the same time. Zimbabwe were forced to cancel the tour by the Caribbean side to accommodate a special fund-raising one-day tournament organised by the International Cricket Council in Dhaka, Bangladesh, later in October.

Zimbabwe have entertained India in two one-off Tests - the commendable drawn inaugural test in Harare in 1992 and the innings defeat in New Delhi in 1993. But the two countries have yet to play each other in a Test series.

ICC chief executive, David Richards, said yesterday they had recognised the sacrifice made by the Zimbabweans in scrapping the West Indies tour and promised to help fund the visit by India.

On a whistle-stop, two-day visit on his way to London from South Africa where he attended the Under-19 World Cup final over the weekend, Richards also reiterated the ICC's commitment to "globalising" the game.

The ICC, he said, had a twin thrust of taking the game "... from a Commonwealth sport to a global sport over a long period of time, perhaps 10, 15, 20 years.

"(And) to fast-track the emerging countries that are close to international standard and also fast-track talented palyers in every country."

However, Richards said the ICC were not going to lose sight of the development of the full member countries such as Zimbabwe.

"Some full members are already established. In Zimbabwe's case the development programme still needs to be nourished and expanded," said Richards, whose previous visit to Harare was in late 1994.

The ICC were also scrutinising ways to help get a more equitable share of the international programme and allow the nine Test countries not only to play each other but to do so more frequently.

Source: The Herald (Harare), 4 February 1998.