Zim tour a priority for Aussie cricket boss

ZIMBABWE’S tour remains on the priority list of the new interim chief executive of Cricket Australia, Nick Hockley.

The Chevrons are provisionally set to visit Australia in August but the hosts look to take new approaches to fend off the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the game.

Last week, they sacked chief executive Kevin Roberts.

Cricket Australia also made 40 employees, including members of the technical team, redundant as part of the organisation’s response to the effects of the global pandemic.

Australia had planned to return to international cricket in August by hosting Zimbabwe for three One Day Internationals.

Australia’s coach, Justin Langer, said he is working with September timelines to prepare for a return to the field with a tour of England in sight.

However, Hockley, who has been working as the chief executive of the T20 World Cup organising committee, has a lot on his plate and the Zimbabwe tour is one of the considerations he has to make.

Asked by an Australian website whether the ODI series against Zimbabwe would go ahead, Hockley said he needed to get a full briefing first.

“I need a briefing on that. It’s on my priority list to get clarity around that,” he said.

The Zimbabwean cricket team last toured Australia in the 2003–04 season.

The Chevrons played two unclassified matches, one First-class match, three List A matches and two Tests, as well as taking part in the 2003–04 VB Series that also featured India.

The Zimbabweans lost all but one international match during this tour.

Relations between the nations have strengthened gradually following Zimbabwe’s isolation between 2005 and 2011.

Diplomatic relations have since mended and Australia have twice toured Zimbabwe in the last six years.