Playing the morality card

The question of morality is one that has vexed philosophers for centuries, and English cricket boards for, well, days at the very least. But now, at last, it seems a version of it is being applied to that most thorny of issues - the Zimbabwe question.

The England & Wales Cricket Board, to their belated credit, have hoisted this winter's tour of Zimbabwe by a petard of their own making, after the publication of a 17-page document in which they argue that moral leadership is expected from sporting, as well as business, administrations. Coming from an organisation that last year defended its shameful position in the World Cup on the basis of free trade, this represents an astonishing volte-face.

But it is an extremely welcome volte-face. In the 12 months since England last fretted over a trip to Zimbabwe, the situation has deteriorated ever further. Ten opposition members have been killed and hundreds more arrested, famine is rife following the illegal seizure of white-owned farms, and inflation has topped 600%. When Zimbabwe's president, Robert Mugabe, withdrew his country from the Commonwealth, the move was described by The Standard newspaper, one of the few independent voices remaining in Zimbabwe, as "the last kicks of a dying horse".

What a coup it would be, therefore, if that bankrupt regime could nonetheless persuade England, the former colonial masters who Mugabe still blames for all the country's ills, to honour their commitment to tour. Even now it is not entirely out of the question. After all, had it not been for a player revolt last winter, that controversial World Cup fixture would have gone ahead with the ECB's blessing, and let's not forget that the Zimbabwe team was persuaded to tour England only last summer - and who knows what promises were made by the ECB's chairman, David Morgan, when he flew out to negotiate with the Zimbabwe Cricket Union in Harare.

Since then, however, the ECB's internal battle-lines have been significantly redrawn, even if they remain every bit as isolated on the international stage. In particular, England are no longer bound to an ICC contract, as was the case in the World Cup, which means that they have next to nothing to lose if they pull the plug on the trip. The ICC, who have clearly learned nothing from the World Cup fiasco, immediately attempted to put England over a barrel by raising the spectre of legal action. But this time, the only money that is talking is already in England's coffers.

Those coffers would swiftly drain, however, if the tour were allowed to go ahead. For starters, it is highly probable that England's main sponsors, Vodafone, would whip away their extremely lucrative four-year £3million deal. Lord MacLaurin, the former ECB chairman and current Vodafone chief, set the current ball rolling back in September when he warned: "We do not want to support a side that ... plays in a country with the sort of regime that is reviled not just by this company but by many in the country. To do so would be abhorrent and not good for the brand image of Vodafone nor England cricket."

For England's supporters as well, many of whom take only a passing interest in the game, yet another tour blighted by controversy might well be too much to put up with. Especially now that the other second-most-popular-sport-in-the-country, rugby union, has gone into overdrive courtesy of one man and his boot. So in fact the whole issue still boils down to money and expediency. Plus ca change, and whither the morality in that?

Ultimately, it has to be accepted that England holds a unique position in the world of cricket, a loosely knit union which is defined by its colonial roots. It is extremely tough luck on the Zimbabwe Cricket Union, which has fought against overwhelming odds to keep the flame of sport alight in their country, but when you look at the bigger picture, cricket is not even a drop in the ocean.

Oscar Wilde hit the nail on the head when he said: "Morality is simply the attitude we adopt toward people whom we personally dislike." This issue has nothing to do with cricket, and everything to do with Mugabe and his repugnant regime.