New ICC President Percy Sonn accepts invitation to visit Zimbabwe

ICC President - Percy Sonn © ICC

New ICC President Percy Sonn has accepted an invitation from Zimbabwe Cricket to visit the country and see for himself the state of cricket in the country.

"What I want is some degree of understanding of the issues that surround the administration of cricket within Zimbabwe," he said in a speech at the ICC's Business Forum at Lord's on Friday.

"I am delighted to say I will get that (understanding) following an invitation to visit the country from Zimbabwe Cricket.

"I will hear first hand of the challenges that confront the sport there, how those challenges will be dealt with and, at the same time, we will discuss how the ICC can assist the game in Zimbabwe.

"Once I have done that I will then report back to the ICC's Executive Board so that we, as an organisation, are better informed about what is happening there."

Mr Sonn, a former President of the United Cricket Board of South Africa, will make the trip with ICC Chief Executive Officer Mr Malcolm Speed, and he added: "Zimbabwe has seen many of its leading players walk away from representing the national side over the past few years and that has led to an inevitable weakening of cricket there.

"We are now at a stage where Zimbabwe has voluntarily stepped back from its Test commitments and, moving forward, they will only return to that arena when they are ready to do so.

"By travelling there, talking and listening, I believe we will be in a better position to support cricket in Zimbabwe at a time when such support is clearly needed."

56 year-old Mr Sonn, who took over from Ehsan Mani as ICC President at the organisation's annual conference on Friday, said the next 12 months was a vital period for the long-term health of the game.

"During that time we will be negotiating the sale of our commercial and broadcast rights for the next eight years to 2015," he said.

"The last time we did that, in 2000, we received US$550 million and that money has benefited every one of our Members in some way.

"It provided financial security that has allowed us to develop plans to take the game forward and the next agreement will, we hope, do the same.

"But while commercialism is important, we must not let it dominate the landscape or lose sight of what this great game is all about.

"Financial considerations cannot be our only driver and cricketing considerations must also play a vital part in any decisions the ICC makes.

"After all, we should all remember how and why we came to love this great game. I did so because of the joy I got from playing it, the excitement I got from watching it and the fellowship that came from being part of a team sport that has always embodied fair play.

"I am keen that we remember all these things so we can ensure cricket can be a strong sport growing stronger during my Presidency.

"In order for cricket to do that the ICC must maintain a unity of purpose, something that characterised the discussions of our Board in April when it agreed to the venues for the hosting of 17 events over eight years with a positive consensus.

"We should never overlook the simple truth that, as an organisation, we are stronger when we all act together. It sends out the right messages to our stakeholders and it is something else I am keen to maintain over my time as ICC President," added Mr Sonn.