England chaperone for Zimbabwe tour

England may be satisfied with the safety assurances, but David Morgan's promised presence from start to finish is absolute confirmation that the controversial trip to Zimbabwe will be unlike any other.

The chairman of the ECB usually pops into a tour for a bit of public relations or to talk business with his opposite number.

But news that Morgan will accompany Michael Vaughan's squad when they arrive in Harare late next month and stay with them until after their fifth and final limited-overs international in Bulawayo 12 days later is an acceptance of the fact that this visit could plunge into crisis at a moment's notice.

The ECB have been convinced that "appropriate safety and security measures will be in place to protect the England touring party and officials." But an attempt to embroil them in Zimbabwe's desperate political struggle cannot be discounted quite so easily - which is the main reason, surely, why Morgan and players' representative Richard Bevan are to travel with Vaughan's squad throughout the trip.

"This will ensure we are able to respond to any major issues as quickly as possible," confirmed Morgan.

To have the ECB's top man with them is the least Vaughan & Co could expect after months of agonising over whether England should be playing cricket in a country regularly accused of human rights abuses.

The Board finally decided in September that the tour must go ahead - unless there was a government order to stay away or a risk to players' safety. The alternative, they argued, was a heavy fine or even suspension from international cricket.

Given the individual right to go or stay, fast bowler Steve Harmison pulled out of the trip on moral grounds while the selectors have taken the opportunity to rest Andrew Flintoff and Marcus Trescothick.

Left to coach Duncan Fletcher, Vaughan and Ashley Giles would have been excused duty as well.

But a less-than-full-strength squad to play a Zimbabwe side shorn of almost all its best white players following alleged (though unproven) racism is just one element of this trip.

Bevan's Professional Cricketers' Association have already made it clear "this will not be a normal tour," stressing that players won't be involved in "publicity activity, including official functions or the meeting of state dignitaries".

Chief executive Bevan and senior ECB official John Carr formed the delegation that checked out security issues in Zimbabwe last week and declared themselves content after meeting political, police and cricket representatives.

Crucially, the British Embassy in Harare also believed the tour would be "safe and secure, not only for the official party but also for travelling supporters and media, provided that their travel advice was strictly adhered to".

That advice will be updated and posted on the ECB's own website to keep fans abreast of any changes.

England could still pull out if the situation changes, right up to 24 November when they are due to leave their warm-up camp in Namibia and fly to Harare.

And Bevan warned that even once the tour begins "there will be an immediate review of the players' position if undertakings are breached".