Zimbabwe escape route for England

England look to have skilfully opened an escape route from their controversial cricket World Cup match against Zimbabwe.

The England and Wales Cricket Board chairman David Morgan today admitted that he had requested a further security check in Harare that could see the match cancelled.

International Cricket Council chief executive Malcolm Speed and World Cup organiser Ali Bacher have headed to Zimbabwe to check out the issue ahead of six World Cup games scheduled for the capital and Bulawayo.

They will submit their findings to the ICC's board meeting on Friday.

"I think the only thing that will prevent our match taking place is for Malcolm Speed and Ali Bacher to come back with a report to the effect that safety and security is not as good as it was thought to be," said Morgan.

"Their visit is not without significance. We in particular have said we will only go if there is no deterioration in safety and security. We wrote to Malcolm Speed last week saying how important it was that the safety and security should be absolute and I'm sure that's why they are going to have another look."

Asked whether the ECB would be relieved to have the matter taken out of their hands by the ICC, Morgan declined to answer directly but simply said: "We are very interested in the safety and security visit taking place. It could well be that Friday will be decision day."

Although the ECB cannot say as much, an ICC instigated decision to move England's first World Cup group game away from Zimbabwe because of safety concerns would ease the now considerable pressure on administrators and cricketers alike.

"I think all the players are concerned about how their action of playing in Zimbabwe is going to be perceived by the British public in particular," agreed Morgan. "I don't believe there is a single player who would support the regime in Zimbabwe and therefore they are all finding it difficult to come to terms with having to go.

"But I believe they now fully realise that playing one cricket match in Zimbabwe, or not playing one cricket match in Zimbabwe, isn't going to make a jot of difference to the plight of people in Zimbabwe."

Morgan said there was "no indication at all of anybody pulling out because of politicaland public pressure after his formal meeting with captain Nasser Hussain's squad here today.

Hussain has said that the players' consciences were split, pointing out that one newspaper report or television programme told them why they shouldn't go to a country where millions are said to be on the brink of starvation while another urged them to visit.

Today, though, the captain refused to talk publicly about Zimbabwe as his side prepared for tomorrow's first one-day final against Australia. Hussain would only comment: "We were quite happy with what the chairman said. We listened to him and he spoke very well. We are here to concentrate on the finals."