Snedden disappointed with plans to ban Zimbabwe

Martin Snedden: fears that a cancellation could affect New Zealand's hopes of staging the 2011 World Cup © Cricinfo

Martin Snedden, the chief executive of New Zealand Cricket, has said that he is disappointed at government proposals to prevent Zimbabwe touring later this year, although he expressed relief that plans stopped short of rushing through legislation to ban New Zealand from going to Zimbabwe next month.

"I'm disappointed but it appears to me the government is acting lawfully and consistently with what it believes about this situation," Snedden told reporters. "It does cause us problems ... in terms of the financial circumstances that will occur from that and, perhaps more particularly, the effect that it will have on our chances of successfully bidding to co-host the Cricket World Cup in 2011."

The government's hard line on Zimbabwe has been well documented, and some opposition groups had been calling on Phil Goff, the foreign minister, to introduce laws aimed at banning New Zealand from sending a side to tour Zimbabwe. Goff ruled that out, but again repeated his view that the Zimbabwe players would be refused visas for the return leg of the series.

Should Zimbabwe be prevented from sending a side to New Zealand then NZC would face financial problems unless it was able to arrange an alternative tour. It would, however, not be penalised by the ICC as it was the New Zealand government and not the board which took the decision to prevent the series taking place.