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Streak calls for ban on Zimbabwe

June 08, 2004 17:36 IST

Former Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak believes his country should be banned from all international cricket until allegations of racial discrimination against the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) are investigated.

Streak was sacked as captain in April after he questioned the composition of the selection panel and criticised them for what he said was discrimination against white players.

"I do not think that other countries should be playing Test or one-day cricket against Zimbabwe, home or away until the crisis has been resolved," he told the Daily Telegraph after joining English county side Warwickshire.

Streak's dismissal led 14 other players to walk out on the national side and although they signalled their intention to end their feud with the ZCU last week, they are unlikely to play for Zimbabwe again.

The sport's governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), has tried to set up a dispute resolution committee to bring the parties together but the ZCU has queried the jurisdiction of the body.

Streak feels the ICC should act before the situation worsens.

"It is a difficult one for the ICC but they have to maybe force the two parties involved to talk," he told the Telegraph. "I hope that things are redeemable and that the damage can be repaired."

Any ban on Zimbabwe playing cricket would save the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) from taking a difficult decision over whether to send their team to tour the African country in November.

Opposition to Zimbabwe's leader Robert Mugabe is rife in Britain, with the government signalling they would prefer the ECB to cancel the tour. They are leaving the final decision, though, to the ECB who face ICC sanctions if they pull out.

Source: REUTERS
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