CRICKET/World Cup: England's cricketers have decided to a man to follow yesterday's decision by their senior officials to play next month's controversial World Cup match in Zimbabwe.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) took the widely-expected decision to play the game in Harare on February 13th despite opposition from the British Government, opposition politicians in Zimbabwe and protest groups.
At a news conference at Lords yesterday, ECB chief executive Tim Lamb said no player had expressed a desire to boycott the game, which will now go ahead unless the ICC decide there is a change in the security situation - and that is an unlikely scenario.
"There has been no indication that any player wishes to withdraw from their commitment to play in this match," Lamb said.
"Our advice is that all the players are happy to be guided by the ECB and have confirmed in the last 24 hours that as things stand, subject to safety and security issues, they will fulfil their obligations to play this match."
The England players' contracts do not make allowances for them to withdraw from an individual match on any grounds, but Lamb is confident that situation will not arise - especially with his determination to avoid any embarrassing handshakes with Robert Mugabe or other propaganda opportunities.
"We are fully aware there would be a hoo-hah if there were pictures of Nasser Hussain, the England players or myself shaking the hand of Robert Mugabe. That would be totally unacceptable and we are not going to expose our cricketers, management or officials to having to take those steps."
Lamb said he had made it clear to the ICC, World Cup organisers and the Zimbabwe Cricket Union - of which Mugabe is a patron - that such a situation would be unacceptable.
The ECB chief executive has written to the ICC asking for another inspection trip to Zimbabwe before the World Cup to judge the security situation in the country, which is in the grip of a famine affecting seven million people.
Yesterday's announcement was accompanied by a demonstration by a small group of protestors, led by Peter Tatchell, against the game taking place.
Scuffles took place as protesters forced their way into the ground claiming that to play the game would be condoning torture.
In a lengthy statement, Lamb outlined the ECB's perception that it is "perverse and unfair" for them to have to been placed in the situation when there is no sporting or business boycott of Zimbabwe. Twelve of the 15 members were present and all voted for the game to go ahead.
Meanwhile, Pat Murphy, the voice of cricket on BBC Radio 5 Live, is to boycott the match as a protest against the repressive Mugabe regime.
Murphy, one of BBC sport's most independent and intelligent minds, has been a vigorous campaigner against racism for more than 30 years. He was an enthusiastic supporter of the Stop the Tour movement in 1970 which forced the cancellation of South Africa's tour of England.
