ECB decides over Zimbabwe

England cricket officials are likely to give Nasser Hussain's team the go-ahead to travel to Zimbabwe for the World Cup when they meet at Lord's today, despite Government pressure.

The new England and Wales Cricket Board chairman, David Morgan, and his chief executive, Tim Lamb, both believe England should play the pool tie against Zimbabwe in Harare as scheduled on 13 February, particularly if the Government continues to rule out compensation for losses incurred by pulling out.

Nottinghamshire's chief executive, David Collier, who sits on the 15-strong management board, retains doubts about the trip, but said yesterday: "The Government have given cricket an almost impossible situation. Letting us know their real thoughts only six weeks before the game is very unsatisfactory, to say the least. Clearly, the one thing I think everybody is adamant about is that we are very disappointed with the Government's handling of this situation so far."