Zimbabwe Cricket Union to Weigh in on England Controversy

Broadcast: Feb 12, 2003

 

The Zimbabwe Cricket Union is sending a ¹⁾delegation to South Africa to give its side of the controversy¹ over England's refusal to play its scheduled World Cup match in Harare.

The World Cup technical committee will meet Friday in Cape² Town to decide whether to move the match or punish the England team for not playing it as scheduled.

The Zimbabwe Cricket Union says it has lost at least tens-of-thousands of dollars through the cancellation³ of the match scheduled to be played Thursday.

Its chairman, Peter Chingoka, says players, ground staff and organizers were all disappointed that England refused to play in Zimbabwe, citing security concerns. Several members of the English cricket team have also said they do not want to travel to Zimbabwe because of its extended political and economic crisis.

Mr. Chingoka says the World Cup technical committee will make a final decision Friday on whether England loses four-points to Zimbabwe in the tournament, and pays a fine, or whether the match will be moved to South Africa.

Well-placed sources believe the Zimbabwe Cricket Union will strongly oppose and rescheduling the match. President Robert Mugabe is the patron of the Union.

On a related issue, the Zimbabwe Cricket Union said Wednesday it has asked the World Cup technical committee to rule on a protest by two Zimbabwe players

Bowler⁴ Henry Olonga, the first black to play for the national side, and world-class batsman Andy Flower, who is white, issued a statement before their first World Cup match Monday in which they said they ²⁾mourned the death of democracy in their country. The two wore black armbands in their first match and say they will keep them on throughout the tournament.

Both players deny they have brought Zimbabwe cricket into disrepute by their statement and by wearing the armbands. They say they spoke⁵ out as individuals, whose consciences are troubled by Zimbabwe's continuing political repression⁶ and widespread hunger.

Peta Thornycroft VOA news, Harare.

1)    delegation[7deli5^eiFEn]n.代表团, 授权, 委托

2)    mourn[mC:n]v. 哀悼, 忧伤, 服丧

1 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

2 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

3 cancellation   

n.删除，取消

参考例句：

• Heavy seas can cause cancellation of ferry services.海上风浪太大，可能须要取消渡轮服务。
• Her cancellation of her trip to Paris upset our plan.她取消了巴黎之行打乱了我们的计划。

4 bowler   

n.打保龄球的人，（板球的）投（球）手

参考例句：

• The bowler judged it well,timing the ball to perfection.投球手判断准确，对球速的掌握恰到好处。
• The captain decided to take Snow off and try a slower bowler.队长决定把斯诺撤下，换一个动作慢一点的投球手试一试。

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 repression   

n.镇压，抑制，抑压

参考例句：

• The repression of your true feelings is harmful to your health.压抑你的真实感情有害健康。
• This touched off a new storm against violent repression.这引起了反对暴力镇压的新风暴。