Goodwin accuses Zimbabwe selectors of bias

The issue of racial discrimination in Zimbabwean cricket has cropped up again, with Murray Goodwin alleging that black cricketers are getting a free ride into the Test team. Goodwin, who last played for Zimbabwe three years ago before quitting after a pay dispute with the Zimbabwe Cricket Union and returning to Australia, said: "It sounds really racist but in actual fact it's the truth and that's a sad state of affairs because these guys don't have to perform as well as the European guys to get a game.

"You've got guys getting promoted because of performance and other guys getting promoted because of their colour. It's hard because when you're playing in a team and you've got these guys getting a free ride - it's not their fault at all - the selection [policy] is a bit of an issue. Everyone's trying to play in a team and you can't begrudge that ... but you're just wary of how they select you and on what grounds."

Meanwhile Geoff Marsh, Zimbabwe's coach, has told his players to forget about the political implications of their tour of Australia. Marsh believes that the politics of the Zimbabwean situation have the potential to distract his side at a time when they need to be completely focussed on the cricket. "When the political situation gets involved in the game of cricket in Zimbabwe I try to take it out."

Australia's vice-captain Adam Gilchrist agrees with that approach. In his column for the Fairfax group of newspapers, Gilchrist supported Australia's decision to play against Zimbabwe in the 2003 World Cup. He said the decision was vindicated within ten minutes of their arrival in Bulawayo, when a local woman gave him a hug and said: "Thank you so much for coming, for giving us a ray of brightness in these difficult times."

Gilchrist also pointed to the lack of protest over Zimbabwe's current tour of Australia. "Surely if the reasons for not playing are moral ones, why would the same rules not apply when the Zimbabweans are here? Either people have short memories, or perhaps we are realising that participating in sporting events doesn't mean that we are either supporting or disregarding the policies and regimes of the government of the country we are playing. Although we are well aware of the tragic heartache that has been caused and the issues that remain unresolved, we are simply sportsmen proudly representing our country."