ICC President and Chief Executive meet Zimbabwe Cricket directors

David Morgan: "We congratulate Zimbabwe on its improvements and successes in recent on-field performances"

Zimbabwe Cricket targets a gradual and responsible return to Test cricket in 2011

ICC President David Morgan and ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat travelled to Harare, the Zimbabwe capital, to meet with directors of Zimbabwe Cricket as part of the ongoing process of information sharing and engagement with members.

Both Mr Morgan and Mr Lorgat congratulated Zimbabwe on its recent on-field successes. Mr Morgan added: "This is my third visit to Zimbabwe and I take great pleasure in the number of smiling faces around Zimbabwe Cricket. It is very comforting for the ICC to observe the improvement and success of the Zimbabwe team in recent months.

"It is also very good from an ICC perspective to see former players returning to the squad and also taking up support roles around the team. The recent results have been a good story for the Zimbabwe cricket team and the ICC is pleased to have played a part in that progress."

Mr Morgan and Mr Lorgat discussed the issues facing the ICC, its strategy and operations as well as the key challenges for world cricket. It was the ICC's latest such meeting with ICC Members, having already caught up with the cricket boards of Full Members Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan, England and Wales, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the West Indies as well as some of the Associates and Affiliates.

Following the meeting, Mr Lorgat added: "We are grateful to Zimbabwe Cricket's board members who gave up their time to listen to the challenges that face world cricket and, in particular, those issues which are most pertinent to Zimbabwe Cricket.

"We are delighted at the energy and enthusiasm with which Zimbabwe Cricket embraced the the ICC task team report and recommendations required to develop a sustainable and successful domestic and international structure.

"Domestic cricket is key to producing successful international players and I believe that the franchise system which has been introduced in Zimbabwe is an important step in the right direction."

Mr Lorgat also took the opportunity to thank Mr Morgan for supporting him through the early years of his tenure as ICC Chief Executive: "David has been excellent in supporting me through all our Member engagements and has provided astute and measured leadership overall to the ICC," he remarked.

Peter Chingoka, the Zimbabwe Cricket chairman, and chief executive Ozias Bvute praised the ICC - and Mr Morgan and Mr Lorgat in particular - for their constructive contribution to cricket in the country over the past two years describing the process as a "massive and impressive force". They also pointed out that the Zimbabwe team results followed from the ICC support and ZC's robust development programme.

Mr Chingoka said: "We are developing a strong and competitive domestic competition as a result of the ICC task team's recommendations and we are now looking to make a gradual return to Test cricket sometime after the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. We will be responsible and engage in competitive Test matches where the results will enhance the integrity of the game as a whole.

"We will look to engage in the early stage of our return with countries like Bangladesh at home in Harare. We hope that the return to Test cricket will continue the growth and development of people playing cricket in Zimbabwe as we aim to make cricket the number one sport in Zimbabwe within the next five years."