From: as on
New Zealand's decision to pull out of Zimbabwe tour criticized as being
'factually incorrect'



By: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

18/03/2010 5:12 PM

HARARE, Zimbabwe - Zimbabwean authorities criticized New Zealand's
decision
to withdraw from a tour of the southern African country for the second
straight year as being "factually incorrect" on Thursday.

Last year, the New Zealand Cricket board postponed the tour until June
2010
but now wants to push it back till 2011 or play it in a neutral venue.

"It is clear from our recent discussions that the government's
assessment of
the security situation in Zimbabwe has not changed from that of a year
ago,
when the scheduled tour was postponed," NZC chief executive Justin
Vaughan
said this week.

Zimbabwe Cricket managing director Ozias Bvute said his organization
would
not agree to either suggestion.

"We have found the decision taken by the New Zealand Cricket board to
be
factually incorrect and unfortunate," Bvute said. "It was a unilateral
decision that was presented to us without discussion."

Zimbabwe Sport Minister David Coltart expressed disappointment at the
cancellation.

"It seems it's a decision taken by the government rather than the team
itself," Coltart told The Associated Press. "I believe the use of
'health
and safety risk' reasons is wrong. I said it last year and I repeated
it
again this year: Zimbabwe is one of the safest places to visit and play
cricket. Harare and Bulawayo have good health facilities and, to that
extent, there is no health risk whatsoever."

"We are in the process of transition as a country. It's a national
experiment and that process should be supported by the international
community. The decision taken by New Zealand sends wrong signals to
potential visitors from New Zealand and other country."