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No 10 to discuss Zimbabwe tour

03/01/2008

Gordon Brown may intervene in discussions over whether to ban Zimbabwe's cricketers from touring in England next year.

A Downing Street spokeswoman said that talks between the government and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) would be held "at the appropriate time".

But she admitted it was "too early to tell" whether the prime minister would be personally involved.

Mr Brown has adopted a tough stance towards Robert Mugabe's regime and refused to attend last year's EU-Africa conference because of the Zimbabwean leader's participation.

The Zimbabwean cricket team are due to play three one-day internationals in England in 2009.

If the government pulls the plug on the tour the ECB could be liable for £225,000 worth of compensation under ICC rules, while Zimbabwe's participation in the World Twenty20 tournament could also be in doubt.

Allegations of human rights abuse against Mr Mugabe's administration have seen the country's cricket team largely frozen out of international competition.

Last year former Australian prime minister John Howard pulled his cricketers out of a tour to the African country, while in 2005 New Zealand denied entry to Zimbabwe's team.