England may impose ban on Zimbabwe

The England Government is poised to take action to ensure Zimbabwe is banned from playing cricket in England next year on moral grounds.

A letter from culture secretary Andy Burnham making clear the Government's stance will be handed to the England and Wales Cricket Board at Lord's on Wednesday morning.

The Government is seeking to ensure that Zimbabwe will not be allowed to play in next summer's one-day internationals or the Twenty20 World Cup in England

It has been involved in discussions with the ECB over the delicate issue for the past 18 months.

But the withdrawal of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai from the second round of Zimbabwe's general election and further social decline under Robert Mugabe's regime appears to be the final straw.

Downing Street confirmed this evening, however, that no letter had yet been passed to the ECB.

Zimbabwe already face being expelled as a major nation at next week's meeting of the International Cricket Council's executive board in Dubai.

The current upheaval in the country surrounding the general election has triggered a sporting sanction from South Africa.

As a result, the ICC hierarchy has been asked to decide Zimbabwe's fate next Wednesday and, if seven full member countries are in agreement, it will be kicked out.

But now the Government in this country has decided enough is enough and will take the matter into its own hands.

Earlier today ICC president elect David Morgan said: "The ICC has never concerned itself with how member countries are governed.

"However, yesterday Cricket South Africa announced that they were scrapping bilateral contact with Zimbabwe Cricket.

"It has been decided to put Zimbabwe on the agenda of the executive board meeting of the ICC which takes place next Wednesday in Dubai."

South Africa's decision has major significance given that it has been long-term supporters of Zimbabwe Cricket, and has blocked previous moves by other full member nations to marginalise them.