Mani can bring peaceful end to tour saga

The smooth negotiating skills of International Cricket Council leader Ehsan Mani could yet result in a relatively peaceful end to the saga of whether or not England should tour Zimbabwe this autumn.

Despite deciding, for the second time in a week, to delay their decision, England will surely say "Can't go, won't go" when the matter is debated during an ICC gathering in New Zealand in mid-March.

At least there is now some hope the matter might be discussed rationally in Auckland and that the fall-out will not cause widespread damage. If so then Mani, a London-based Pakistani, may well deserve much credit. Having taken office last summer, the president of the ICC has appeared to be the perfect diplomat, taking neither one side nor the other but simply stating the Council's position.

Now, as a result of his personal appeal, England have agreed not to make a decision by the end of February, as had been intended, but to wait until after the entire cricket community meets on 11 and 12 March.

"It's important we co-operate with the international cricket community and go the extra mile with them before we reach a conclusion," England Cricket Board official John Read said.

Well, more like the extra 12,000 miles, actually, but the main point is sound enough.

Given proper, face-to-face briefings at least some countries may accept that England's cricketers cannot visit Zimbabwe against the clear wishes of their government and, probably, a majority of the public.

It is not quite beyond the bounds of possibility that a deal could be done to postpone the tour, rather than cancel it.