JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
ICC have run out of patience with Zimbabwe; tired of their corruption and fraud: Grant Flower
Zimbabwe Cricket were suspended by the ICC this week due to corruption and fraud, along with intervention from the government.
Former Zimbabwe cricketer Grant Flower believes that Zimbabwe Cricket's past, which was replete with corruption and fraud, forced the ICC to suspend the Board.
The decision was taken earlier this week, with the ICC freezing all the payments to ZC, and even barring the teams from playing in any ICC-organized tournament.
"I can understand the player's frustrations, but unfortunately with Zimbabwe cricket, it sounds like the ICC have just had enough," Flower told ESPNcricinfo. "Regarding money owed and money lent, and money the ICC gave Zimbabwe that they're probably never going to see again, it sounds like maybe they've run out of patience.
"I think over time, the ICC have just been worn down by all the corruption, the fraud, and the problems with Zimbabwe cricket not being able to get its house in order. Maybe they thought a jolt to their system would make some people realise what was expected of them.
"They would have reasoned Zimbabwe needed to understand that at some stage, you've got to put your house in order, and we can't keep propping you up like we have been doing over the years."
"We can go back so many years to when things were very badly run. It's pretty obvious what was happening at the time and the people responsible who were involved. And I think the current crop of players and the interim board, who are really good people, are being punished because the ICC felt they needed to take a stand."
Flower added that Zimbabwe are learning a cruel lesson, and could amend ways before the ICC meets again in October to decide the future of the nation.
"Unfortunately in Zimbabwe corruption is rife. When you live there, you get used to it. It's quite an unhealthy state of life and affairs which has become the norm. It's quite frightening, but until you live there, you don't quite actually realise that.
"The scapegoats are the players and some of the good administrators. I saw this thing on Twitter about Harare Sports club, it's a beautiful ground and at the moment it's just going to waste because no one is being paid and the staff have left. It's publicly owned by Harare Sports Club and the upkeep is paid for by Zimbabwe Cricket so unfortunately those sorts of things may just go to ruin.
"It is a sad day, and maybe some of the players are going to move on. Most of the players are still quite young, like Brendan Taylor and Kyle Jarvis, who left their county to return to Zimbabwe. They could still ply their trade elsewhere; it'd be a pity it won't be for their country of birth."
