I had promised myself that Morning Mirror was going to be totally apolitical, but I feel I cannot let this proposed forthcoming Zimbabwe v Pakistan cricket embargo by some well meaning, but over emotional persons, go without comment.

I quote

" ITS TIME TO SHOW THE WORLD THAT ALL IS NOT WELL IN ZIMBABWE.

WHAT MESSAGE WILL YOU SEND TO THE WORLD WHOSE SYMPATHY AND SUPPORT WE DESPERATELY SEEK , BY APPEARING ON INTERNATIONAL TV LAUGHING,DRINKING AND GORGING OURSELVES WHILE THOUSANDS OF ZIMBABWE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED, THROWN OUT OF THEIR HOMES, BRUTALIZED, OR STARVED TO DEATH.

BE CONSPICUOUS BY YOUR ABSENCE. DO NOT ATTEND THE ZIMBABWE vs PAKISTAN ODI's. SEND A VERY POWERFUL MESSAGE TO THIS REGIME AND THE WORLD AT LARGE.! " unquote !

I think that this ia a very damaging request to make to the true Zimbabweans who are left in our beloved country and will result in further polarisation of us all.

THIS BOYCOTT WILL FURTHER SPLIT OUR LITTLE COMMUNITY.....

And will the World care ? Wll it even notice ? Will it give a damn if we boycott the games?

I have been in broadcasting for long enough to know that there is no way that Sky Television or anyone else pushing the buttons, would be unprofessional enough to make mention of any political agenda.

If TV stations were in the habit of focusing on a country's political squabbles, every single cricket / rugby / football game worldwide would be subject to mass demonstrations from every single cause.

News stations treat political issues with the same amount of coverage that they give a streaker (no pun intended) they give the hapless fellow absolutely no TV coverage at all, in case it encourages more people who seek this misguided sort of publicity.

And besides our absence will not even be noticed, the cricket grounds will be filled with youngsters bussed in for a great day of cricket so our silent demonstration of absence would be a total damp squib.

Even more galling will be the sniggers of those in power who are trying so hard to polarise our shrinking community, and to ethnically and politically cleanse our country.

Yes, we are horrified at the brutalisation of our people, and yes, we have been doing and will do, all we can to help those in need, but this boycott will not help one iota.

We who are left in this country, are the folk who are determined to make it work AT ALL COST, we have shown our commitment , in what we have done, us the silent majority who assist the cause of freedom and justice in every possible way, some of us silently, some of us openly, we are all doing everything possible to make this country right for future generations of Zimbabweans.

And why take away the one bit of enjoyment that we still have as a community. What is wrong with enjoying the camaraderie of a couple of days supporting our team and our country Zimbabwe.

We are as one at a cricket game, black or white, rich or poor. Sport is a magnificent catharsis for many wounds and what is wrong with a day spent waving our Zimbabwe flags and shouting encouragement for a dedicated Zimbabwean team, that has actually done very well for a country as small as ours, with or without all its inner turmoil.

Sport and sportsmanship show all that is good, all that is legal, all that is law abiding and dignified, in a time when so many illegal and unjust events are taking place.

So come on, put that e mail in the trash can where it belongs, don't send that e mail round and round in ever decreasing spiraling circles, come out and support our Zimbabwe Cricket team, and let us show our solidarity by working for our country and not against it.