Sonn and Speed in Harare to meet Zimbabwe officials

Malcolm Speed: in Harare © Getty Images

Malcolm Speed, the ICC's chief executive, and Percy Sonn, the president, are in Zimbabwe meeting with stakeholders and officials to see for themselves the situation inside the country.

The delegation, who attended today's ODI between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh at Harare Sports Club, will speak to the ZC board on Monday, and will also get an opportunity to get an account of the state of affairs from several Zimbabwe cricket stakeholders.

Speed will be hoping that he receives a warmer welcome that the last time he visited Harare to meet ZC officials. In May 2004, at the height of the first player strike led by Heath Streak, Speed was left kicking his heels after board officials refused to meet him.

Sonn announced that he and Speed would visit Zimbabwe in August to see for themselves the situation there. That news was welcomed by dissenting stakeholders whose approaches had previously been stonewalled, with ICC officials insisting they would only deal with individuals representing the official board.