In the next few days, big-time cricket will run the gamut of emotions from A to Z. And then there is Zimbabwe.
There has always been Zimbabwe. It has haunted the game for the past five years, but this time it is different. This time it could split the game asunder, or perhaps just as bad, leave it as a laughing stock.
At the annual gathering of the International Cricket Council in one of Dubai's grand hotels this week, the country that has never been very good at cricket but has commanded a place at its high table for a quarter of a century will dominate proceedings.
There are other matters of gravity to attend to for a game apparently awash with cash yet paradoxically also in a state of crisis. But they will all be informed and affected by what - if anything - the ICC's board decide to do about Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe, the parlous state of test cricket everywhere but England, the vexed problem of players appearing in breakaway leagues, the concern about the takeover of Twenty20, are all to play for this week. The ICC is here to save the game, no less.
There is some wriggle room but not much and it may come down to who blinks first between England and India, and who the rest of the big 10 countries decide to support. At worst, there could be a schism in the world game.
A week ago, it had seemed straightforward. After a sudden rush of meetings and statements in a period of barely 48 hours, the ICC was destined to act decisively.
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