South Africa not confirmed for Zimbabwe tri-series

South Africa's participation in a tri-series with Zimbabwe and India in Zimbabwe in July is not confirmed, according to Cricket South Africa.

"It's way too premature for India to confirm that this series is going ahead," CSA chief executive Gerald Majola said. "Zimbabwe have spoken to CSA about it but our board still needs to decide whether to reinstate bilateral relations with Zimbabwe."

The South African board suspended cricketing ties with Zimbabwe in June 2008 because of political trouble in the country.

Tony Irish, the chief executive of the South African Cricketers Association, also had not heard anything official. "We have not heard anything officially," Irish told Supersport website. "It's definitely not part of the international tour programme [FTP]."

Lovemore Banda, the ZC media manager, told Cricinfo: "When the chief executive of CSA responded to the invitation from our CEO, he made it clear that it was subject to confirmation by the board. We are waiting for that board deliberation of the matter, and are hopeful that South Africa will take part in our tournament."

Ashed how, if relations between the two countries were still suspended, a Zimbabwe A side was currently playing in South Africa, Banda said that it was "not really a resumption of bilateral relations because we sent the A side to play against Canada and Ireland in response to an invitation from the Africa Cricket Association, which has its headquarters in South Africa".

Zimbabwe are faced with a barren schedule after Sri Lanka cancelled their series this month and then New Zealand's tour, pencilled in for July, was postponed for a year by mutual agreement.

You mention that we have a side playing in South Africa at the moment. Well, our having the side playing in South Africa is not really a resumption of bilateral relations because we sent the Zimbabwe A side to play against Canada and Ireland in response to an invitation from the Africa Cricket Association which has its headquarters in South Africa.