zimcricketnews.com

CricInfo has news that Henry Olonga has restated his desire for cricketing contacts to be restored with Zimbabwe, despite his own misgivings about some of the people running ZC - although he has ruled out returning home himself:

"Personal safety is still a consideration for me, although the Zimbabwean government seems to be softening. The winds of change are blowing through the country. Maybe it's time now to consider bringing Zimbabwe out of isolation from a broader perspective.

"We still have the issue of slightly suspicious gentlemen running the sport. I don't really trust the man [Bvute] but he's shown a genuine desire to re-engage with some of the former players. They have extended the olive branch to players like Heath Streak and a few others, to try to get some of these players back involved in the running of cricket because their loss has cost the country."

Zim sports minister David Coltart is also set to meet with Cricket Scotland to discuss Scotland's Intercontinental Cup fixture with Zimbabwe XI - pressure is on CS to agree to play the fixture in Zimbabwe instead of on neutral ground, and Coltart is hoping to reassure the Scottish authorities that the country is safe:

"I have to go and speak to Scottish cricket authorities, and one of the main things they want to do is have me speak to the players because they are nervous about going out. They've seen pictures. One has to recognise that there is a lot of scepticism in the UK regarding this political arrangement. My main task is to try to overcome that scepticism. I can't disregard it because in some respects it's well founded."

England do seem to be in a minority of one as far as their views on cricket contact with Zim are concerned. Coltart has proven himself to be rather persuasive when speaking the Australian and New Zealand authorities - hopefully his good run will continue with the Scots.
CricInfo - Olonga asks for renewal of ties with Zimbabwe