Chronicle Editor
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
ENGLISH county cricket sides Derbyshire and Durham have abandoned their tour of Zimbabwe and will return home today due to uncertainty around potential travel interruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Derbyshire were set to play six matches against Zimbabwe Select at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, but the only fixture, a Twenty20 contest, which the tourists won by 48 runs, was played before a decision was made for the team to return to the United Kingdom.
Durham only arrived in Zimbabwe last Friday and are also returning home.
It appears Derbyshire and Durham were afraid that should their government bar flights from entering the UK, they would be stranded in Zimbabwe with players and staff having no access to their families.
Derbyshire head of cricket and former Zimbabwe captain and coach Dave Houghton described the decision to return to the UK as tough, but correct.
“While the decision to return was not an easy one to make, it is the correct one for all players and everyone associated with the club currently in Zimbabwe,” said Houghton.
He thanked Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) for its generosity and the Government for guidance while in Zimbabwe.
Derbyshire arrived in Zimbabwe on Monday last week and visited Victoria Falls, held a training session in Kwekwe before playing one match in Bulawayo on Saturday.
ZC acting managing director Givemore Makoni said it was unfortunate that the teams were going back home.
“It is regrettable that the county teams have been forced to cut short their Zimbabwe tour as a precautionary move, but it is totally understandable as the clubs are concerned, like all of us would be, about the worsening Covid-19 situation back in their country and elsewhere in the world,” Makoni said.
“Nevertheless, we would like to thank both counties for committing to the tour which we have no doubt would have been memorable and a massive boost for our game had it not been discontinued.”
With the coronavirus situation getting worse with each passing day and sporting events and mass gatherings being cancelled, uncertainty hangs over Ireland’s impending tour of Zimbabwe.
The Irish are expected at the end of this month for three Twenty20 Internationals and three one-day internationals at Queens Sports Club at the beginning of April.
England have already abandoned their tour of Sri Lanka and India called off their two remaining ODIs against South Africa on Friday.
Australia’s ODI series against New Zealand was also abandoned.
Uefa has suspended both Champions League and Europa League matches, whilst the English Premier League has been put on hold until April 3.
The Italian Serie A has also been suspended, while closer to home the 2021 Caf Afcon qualifiers set for this month-end have all been deferred as coronavirus infections trickle into Africa. — @Mdawini_29
Online Reporter
Bongani Moyo