Comments on: A challenge to international cricket

By: Liz

Liz — Tue, 29 May 2007 06:40:14 +0000

Hi all,

I have to debate the following topic for an Australian debate team- just wondering if anyone wants to give me any points seeing as all of you guys are clued up on all of this.

THe topic is That Australia should boycott the cricket tour of Zimbabwe!

Appreciated

By: sokari

sokari — Mon, 21 May 2007 16:56:24 +0000

Reviewed in Last Week's Pambazuka News

By: Pamwechete

Pamwechete — Mon, 21 May 2007 11:32:39 +0000

John Cook on this blog [http://www.holdingwilley.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=214&Itemid=9]
actually reminded me about China.

I want to see how many countries will boycott China for the alledged human rights abuses

By: Rumbidzai Musoni

Rumbidzai Musoni — Wed, 16 May 2007 15:21:29 +0000

Frankly, cricket is a white sport, or at best an upper class sport in Zimbabwe it has enriched a lot of people trading on the parallel market. It does not identify with the average person so while noise will be made on the international and political areana, tell me who apart from the cricketers will miss Australia. Cricketers in Zimbabwe have done very little to extend the sport to the average Zimbabwean. Much of what has been done has been very half hearted most of it fairly recently in the wake of political implications of cricketing countries boycotting. When England was beaten in Zimbabwe, it was beaten by white chicken farmers playing white people. So frankly very few people will miss it The black cricket teams that have made itt- anaTakashinga have done so zvenharo. Give us Morrocco or Cameroon to boycott a soccer match then anyone who wants to make an impact on Zimbabwean landscape will have done so.

By: Sreeram

Sreeram — Tue, 15 May 2007 12:16:07 +0000

Hi,

We have a cricket website, called http://www.holdingwilley.com. We basically look at gathering the people’s perspectives on various issues from around the world, rather than an ‘official’ point of view.

Your point of view is interesting, and it would be great if i could use this post on our website, with your byline, of course. Not only would it be a useful addition to the content on our site, it would also raise awareness about the point you are making.

Let me know if you are ok with the idea, and if you are, please also send me a line or two giving whatever information you would like published about yourself , so I can add that to the byline.

By: Global Voices Online » Outrage as Zimbabwe assumes helm of key global organization

Mon, 14 May 2007 13:26:16 +0000

[...] Frustrated that the Australian cricket team has succumbed to political pressure and cancelled their September trip to Zimbabwe Bev at Kubatana contemplates the good that could have come out of the tour: Australians might not care about this, but itâ€™s important to review what is the best overall strategy rather than fall back on the knee-jerk call for a boycott. [...]

By: …My heart’s in Accra » links for 2007-05-11

…My heart’s in Accra » links for 2007-05-11 — Fri, 11 May 2007 04:18:20 +0000

[...] Kubatana.net speaks out from Zimbabwe ? Blog Archive ? A challenge to international cricket Bev Clark suggests that the Australian cricket team visit Zimbabwe, but make a point of meeting with activists and drawing attention to the current political situation in Zim, rather than a boycott which, oddly, could benefit some wealthy Zimbabweans (tags: activism protest cricket zimbabwe australia) [...]

By: Gary Storm

Gary Storm — Fri, 11 May 2007 02:48:25 +0000

Good post, and I`ve posted this around the traps in Aus, and sent an email to Downer as well….

*******************

Hi, regarding the Zimbabwe problem, I`d like the board members and players to read this, from a Zimbabwean perspective:
http://kubatanablogs.net/kubatana/?p=146

In my opinion, Australia SHOULD go to Zimbabwe. While there, I think they should all wear black armbands (as a couple of the Zimbabwean cricketers did, to signify ‘Death of Democracy’). I also believe the team should engage in worthwhile causes while in Zimbabwe (outlined in the blog link above), and also let the Zimbabwean team win. This will highlight in the strongest possible way how Australia feel about the Mugabe regime.

If the Australian team are asked to leave Zimbabwe, then it is possible that YOU will receive money from the ICC.

If you refuse to play in Zimbabwe, then the $2mill for the Zimbabwean Cricket ppl will go into government and officials bank accounts.

So play, but make a strong statement while you are there. Just ask the Zimbabwean bloggers.
*****************

By: Pamwechete

Pamwechete — Thu, 10 May 2007 21:54:20 +0000

Bev,
Funny enough I have never heard you and your lot advocating for a boycott by the football teams and other internationl sporting disciplines that are carried out in Zimbabwe. All this noise about the govt is nonsense, last time the Aussies came for the world cup I enjoyed myself and surprisingly the govt did not make any noise about it.

Of all the sporting teams that come to Zim, cricketers are given a police escort from the hotel room to the ground and back.

Further more I have never heard you calling for the foreign companies that are reaping our wealth.

These Zim cricketers should be let to play and earn their living.