It has also been reported by the ABC that Cricket Australia (CA) has confirmed it has received the advice from the Federal Government and is now seeking a neutral venue to hold the cricket tournament. The CA chief executive officer, James Sutherland said that the Federal government has a responsibility for making decisions on behalf of Australians in relation to the country's international relation.
Australian Cricket Chaplain of 23 years Dr Mark Tronson claims that the Commonwealth Government and not Cricket Australia is the ultimate body to be responsible for calling any political boycott by an Australian cricket team.
"Moreover, it seems to me that Governments take the easiest or most visible option", Dr. Tronson continued. "So would it not make more of a real difference if, instead, they boycotted all financial or business transactions with Zimbabwe?"
"Sport is such an easy target for politicians. Politically motivated churchmen in my view lack an understanding of the joy of ordinary people watching the poise and grace of elite athletes," Dr. Tronson mused.
However, an over-arching decision of a National sporting governing body making a political determination for a National team at the behest of its Government who isolates 'sport' as a token semblance of disapproval is a very different situation.
"Political decisions should be made by politicians for political reasons, not pushed onto the shoulders of Cricket Australia ," Dr. Tronson concluded. "It is for the Commonwealth Government to decide whether the Australian Cricket team plays cricket in Zimbabwe, and for them to determine the part that any boycott could effectively play in an overall, rational sanctions policy. It should not be an isolated decision to be made by sporting administrators whose job is to look after the welfare of their players."