LONDON (Reuters)
At Gatwick yesterday, England captain Nasser Hussain played a straight bat to a series of questions designed to extract his opinion on the troubled political situation in Zimbabwe.

"I have no reservations about the current climate. We have enjoyed our past trips out there," Hussain told a news conference. "We are not going to stray too far from the hotel, so it gives us a chance to put a lot of work in. None of the boys are going out there for a holiday."

Hussain was also asked what he would do if he was invited to meet Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe, who also heads the Zimbabwe Cricket Board. "I will do what is expected of an England captain and meet dignitaries with respect," he replied.

"He is the president of their board and I will do what I'm expected to do, and the other players will do the same. If a player felt strongly about doing otherwise, Duncan Fletcher and myself would obviously back him. It would be naive of me to say I have no opinion on things, but I like to comment on things I know about, like cricket and not politics."

Hussain was supported by England's Zimbabwe-born coach Duncan Fletcher. "I just want to go out there and play cricket - to be cricketers rather than politicians," Fletcher said.

"I have never been involved in politics and I don't think I have ever even voted. It is up to the politicians to sort the situation out and why should the cricketers be involved?"

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd