WITH another controversial general election due next month, Zimbabwe’s social and economic nightmare is a long way from being over. Yesterday’s announcement of the imminent return to the national team of Heath Streak, by far the country’s most accomplished cricketer, marks, however, a likely reduction in the regular humiliations suffered by the novice team that remained when Streak was dismissed by the then Zimbabwe Cricket Union last April.

Comfortably beaten by South Africa yesterday in the first of three one-day internationals that will be followed by two inevitably one-sided Test matches, Zimbabwe need their former captain back as soon as possible. Even then it might not alter ICC proposals to reduce the number of Tests and one-day internationals played by Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, who beat Zimbabwe in both one and five-day cricket when they met in January.

An ICC spokesman welcomed the news of Streak’s change of mind yesterday but emphasised that the review of the structure of international cricket will be a main item on the agenda again at the two-day meeting of the executive board in Delhi on March 17 and 18. “It is important that all countries have their best players available,” he said. “It remains the case that the cycle of ten teams playing each other twice over a five-year period must change if all ten countries are to continue to play an equal amount. Reducing the fixtures for two of those countries is still one of the options.”

Streak said that he still had to sort out possible clashes between his contract with Warwickshire and his renewed international commitments. “Otherwise I am ready to play for Zimbabwe when selected. I am putting my weight fully behind the captain, Tatenda Taibu, and the rest of the lads,” he said in what amounted to a complete volte-face.

His is a formidable weight. His most recent appearance for Zimbabwe was at home to Bangladesh last March, having taken 202 wickets at 27 in 59 Tests and often made useful runs. Andy Blignaut, another gifted all-rounder with three five-wicket hauls in 15 Tests to date, signed a new contract with Zimbabwe Cricket on Monday. Two of the original 15 outlaws, Gavin Ewing and Barney Rogers, are playing in South Africa and Stuart Carlisle and Trevor Gripper are expected to follow Streak’s lead again; but Ray Price, the left-arm spinner, will not be doing so. He has confirmed that he will remain on Worcestershire’s staff as a Kolpak player.

The compromise that has brought Streak and others back has not been divulged but is likely to involve the departure of Macsood Ebrahim, the convenor of selectors, to whom Streak originally objected.