Magongo: 'Give us more time'

Zimbabwe's convenor of selectors, Steve Mangongo, has asked for the team to be given more time to prove it can still live up to Test status. Mangongo, who has been instrumental in the development of the current captain, Tatenda Taibu, believes that in two to three years, the side will be able to compete on an equal footing once again.

"We should be given a two or three-year grace period with all the necessary support from the ICC so we can sustain ourselves," Mangongo told BBC Sport. "We should be allowed to continue with our Test programme, but at the same time have more games for the A team. By then, things would have stabilised and the youngsters would be able to hold their own, and then it would be fair to judge us."

As Bangladesh are demonstrating on their current tour of the Caribbean, a young side can grow into a competitive team given the right nurturing and support, although for many, the key issue is not the quality of the team, but the equality of the selection process. Given the manner in which their leading white players were cast out of the side, it is debatable whether Zimbabwe could possibly follow the same model.

"The most positive thing," added Magongo, "would be to ensure that in the shortest possible time we'll be able to compete, by bringing specialist coaches like Bob Woolmer here, or sending some of our boys to Australia's Institute of Sport or elsewhere. It's the best solution, in the name of development and in the name of making sure that cricket becomes a global game and prospers in Africa."

Zimbabwe's Test status is to be addressed at an ICC board meeting on June 27. The clamour for suspension is growing louder by the day, with big names such as Steve Waugh and Nasser Hussain having adding their opinions on the matter. The ICC, however, has a stated aim to attract 100 countries to its membership by 2005, and regardless of how badly the ZCU has treated its players, Zimbabwe's removal would jeopardise those expansionist aims.

"It would be retrogressive to kick Zimbabwe out of Test cricket - [the game] needs more countries playing, not fewer," said Mangongo, adding that he hoped that the dispute with the 15 white rebel cricketers would soon be resolved. "I hope that some of them will come back, we still need them for the good of the game, and I believe that some will return to Zimbabwe cricket."