Zimbabwe still hoping for Australian tour

Zimbabwe will continue putting pressure on the Australian Cricket board to reverse its decision to cancel an Australian tour of the troubled African nation, a newspaper report said on Thursday.

The Sydney Morning Herald report said Zimbabwe Cricket Union chairman Peter Chingoka would try to persuade the ACB that his country was safe enough for the Australians by pointing to other recent sporting tours which had passed without incident.

Last week, the ACB announced it had cancelled the two-Test tour due to start on April 10 due to concerns over the safety of players, officials and spectators.

But Chingoka said he is hoping the ACB will overlook advice from Australian foreign department officials and go ahead with the tour.

"The decision was for the ACB to make, and the ACB made it on advice from their government's foreign affairs department," Chingoka was quoted as saying.

"I am convinced there is a will there on the part of the ACB," he said.

Days after Australia called off their tour of Zimbabwe, the Belarus Davis Cup tennis squad arrived in Harare for their tie next week against Zimbabwe.

Australia's tour of Zimbabwe was to have comprised a Test and one-day series.

Mail Cricket Editor