Anger over plans for new cricket tour of Zimbabwe

England's cricket authorities have been condemned over their plans for a tour of Zimbabwe, amid evidence of increasing violence, intimidation and torture by President Robert Mugabe's regime.

The decision by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to go ahead with a short tour in November 2004 has come as a shock after England pulled out of its controversial World Cup match in Harare in February.

Michael Ancram, the shadow Foreign Secretary, wrote to the ECB chairman, David Morgan, condemning England's planned trip as a "grubby deal".

There was also disquiet within the England camp, with players desperate for clear government guidance to avoid a repeat of the political furore surrounding the World Cup.

Tony Lloyd, the former Foreign Office minister, said: "It seems to be irresponsible to make that sort of decision in principle at this stage. It gives no confidence to the children raped by Mugabe's thugs to know that good chaps from Britain will be playing their good chaps from Zimbabwe."

Tony Banks, the former Labour sports minister, said it would be "ill advised" for England to tour Zimbabwe.

Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, said in a Commons written answer: "We made it clear ahead of the recent Cricket World Cup that we did not believe that the England team should play in Zimbabwe at that time. There has been no improvement on the ground in Zimbabwe to lead us to change this advice at the current time."

A spokesman for the ECB said: "We do not see ourselves as a political body and we will be going there with sporting goals to have a sporting competition if the safety and security assurances are there."