Sonn to visit Zimbabwe

New ICC president Percy Sonn: 'I will hear first hand of the challenges that confront the sport there' © Getty Images

Percy Sonn, who has today taken over as ICC president from Ehsan Mani, has accepted an invitation from Zimbabwe Cricket to visit the country and see for himself the state the game is in there.

"What I want is some degree of understanding of the issues that surround the administration of cricket within Zimbabwe," Sonn told the ICC's Business Forum at Lord's on Friday. "I am delighted to say I will get that [understanding] following an invitation to visit the country from Zimbabwe Cricket.

"I will hear first hand of the challenges that confront the sport there, how those challenges will be dealt with and, at the same time, we will discuss how the ICC can assist the game in Zimbabwe. Once I have done that I will then report back to the ICC's Executive Board so that we, as an organisation, are better informed about what is happening there."

Sonn will make the trip with Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive.

"Zimbabwe has seen many of its leading players walk away from representing the national side over the past few years and that has led to an inevitable weakening of cricket there," Sonn added. "We are now at a stage where Zimbabwe has voluntarily stepped back from its Test commitments and, moving forward, they will only return to that arena when they are ready to do so.

"By travelling there, talking and listening, I believe we will be in a better position to support cricket in Zimbabwe at a time when such support is clearly needed."