The Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) has dismissed reports in today's Daily Telegraph that they have threatened to cancel next summer's tour of England if England refuse to play their World Cup match in Zimbabwe. Vincent Hogg, chief executive of the ZCU, told the BBC that there was no truth in the report. "I never heard of anything like that in my life. No statement like that has been made from the ZCU. I cannot even give you an explanation as to where that has come from. It's incredible some of the stories that have come out about Zimbabwe and the ZCU. It's amazing - I can't believe where they are being generated from."

Given the political situation in Zimbabwe it is increasingly likely that the six matches allocated to them as part of the World Cup will be moved. Zimbabwe is currently suspended from the Commonwealth, and two of the countries instrumental in that course of action - Australia and England - are among those scheduled to play there.

The report in the Telegraph quotes an ICC insider as saying that the subject of Zimbabwe pulling out of their tour to England was informally discussed as last week's ICC meeting in Dubai. The article stated, "Tim Lamb [the England and Wales Cricket Board's chief executive] was not happy about it but as a result of this he sounded out countries who might come to England instead of Zimbabwe."

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