Even as the Australian government stepped up pressure on Cricket Australia
to boycott its tour of Zimbabwe in September, captain Ricky Ponting
said every player should be allowed to make an independent decision on the issue.
"There are some issues there and every individual player will be asked what
(his) own views on that are, and they'll have a chance to make up their own mind
what they want to do," Ponting said.
Ponting agreed that more players might follow in the footsteps
of Stuart MacGill, the Test leg-spinner who made himself unavailable
for the team's 2004 visit of Zimbabwe.
The twice World Cup-winning skipper urged CA to make
it clear that it is ultimately an individual player choice whether to be part
of the three-match, one-day series in Zimbabwe where a prolonged civil war has
resulted in one of the worst humanitarian and economic crises.
"I'm sure every individual player will be asking (himself)
'should I or shouldn't I be touring Zimbabwe'," Ponting was quoted as saying
by 'The Australian'.
"Cricket Australia will investigate the safety and security
issues but the players have got some serious questions to ask themselves."
Ponting's comments came close on the heels of the government offering to compensate
whatever loss the CA might incur as fine for pulling out of a series scheduled
on the ICC Future Tours Programme.
|
