ICC runs out of patience with Zimbabwe cricket, says Grant Flower

NEW DELHI, July 22 (PTI): Former batsman Grant Flower says the ICC perhaps wanted Zimbabwe Cricket to be more responsible by suspending them for government intervention but doubted if the global body interpreted the SRC action in true sense.
The ICC recently suspended Zimbabwe Cricket for violation of its constitution after the current elected members of the Zimbabwe board were suspended by the Sports and Recreation Committee (SRC).
Flower said ICC may have wanted ZC to put its house in order but actually the current board members were "good people".
"I think over time, the ICC have just been worn down by all the corruption, fraud, and the problems with Zimbabwe cricket not being able to get its house in order. Maybe they thought a jolt to their system would make some people realise what was expected of them," Flower told ESPNcricinfo.
"They would have reasoned Zimbabwe needed to understand that at some stage, you've got to put your house in order, and we can't keep propping you up like we have been doing over the years. I can understand the player's frustrations, but unfortunately with Zimbabwe cricket, it sounds like the ICC have just had enough." "We can go back so many years to when things were very badly run. It's pretty obvious what was happening at the time and the people responsible who were involved. And I think the current crop of players and the interim board, who are really good people, are being punished because the ICC felt they needed to take a stand."
Zimbabwean Cricket has been in turmoil for many years now. In fact, 14 members, including Flower, had walked out of the system in 2004 when then skipper Heath Streak was dismissed for disagreements on racial quotas in the squad.
However, things seemed to get better after former Olympic swimmer and Zimbabwe's most famous sportsperson Kirsty Coventry was appointed Sports minister.