Two prominent cricket writers, Mike Marqusee, author of Anyone but England, and Rob Steen, editor of The New Ball and author of several other books, are behind an anti-war group founded in London in the wake of the attacks on America. The two men have been friends since 1993 and share a love of cricket and baseball as well as a similar political perspective. Marqusee sits on the executive of the Socialist Alliance, of which Steen is a supporter. They set up Media Workers against the War, with other leading anti-establishment journalists including Paul Foot and John Pilger, because of their growing concern about the "war drive" against Afghanistan and the flow of information about it.

"There are already reports of media outlets censoring stories when they don't fit in with government policy," Marqusee told Wisden. "Now more than ever, pluralism in debate and public scrutiny of official accounts are important. Now is not the time to leave such things to politicians and leader writers."

The group's first meeting, held last Monday in central London, attracted 70 people. They are in the process of setting up a website and intend to make a video featuring anti-war arguments. They also hope to go to media offices and ensure that workers don't feel isolated if they hold anti-war views.

Marqusee writes particularly about cricket in South Asia. "I have many friends out in that part of the world," he said."Many of them have stood up to fundamentalism and it is they who will suffer the backlash against US rhetoric.

"I am a native New Yorker and I feel the same horror as everyone else at what happened, but I would appeal to all cricket lovers to consider as human beings what value there is in further senseless murder."

For more information on Media Workers against the War contact Jack@dimsum.co.uk.

Tanya Aldred is assistant editor of Wisden.com.

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd