England are likely to cancel their scheduled tour of Zimbabwe in October on moral grounds, Wednesday's edition of The Times newspaper reported.

The 15 members of the England and Wales Cricket Board's management board will decide whether the tour should go ahead at a meeting next week.

They will base their decision on a document by one of their members, Des Wilson, sent to them on Tuesday, the paper said.

"The safety and security of a touring party can in today's circumstances no longer be the only factor in deciding whether or not to proceed with a controversial tour," the paper quoted Wilson as saying in the document.

"Can we tour this country knowing what we do about its stance on human rights and suffering of its people?" Wilson said.

"If the behaviour of the regime is contrary to all that sport stands for in terms of the way human beings should behave towards one another, and is judged to be extreme in its unacceptability ... the governing body should with humility and great thought to the consequences of its actions accept that it cannot justify ignoring the cause for such widespread international and home country concern."

England's players refused to play in a match against Zimbabwe in Harare during last year's World Cup, citing security concerns.

However, Australia, went ahead with their match in Bulawayo without incident.

The British government had argued before the tournament that England should not play there following criticism of President Robert Mugabe's administration and its controversial land reform policy.

Zimbabwe last month resigned from the 54-nation Commonwealth, which Mugabe said had been hijacked by racist interfering in the country's internal affairs.

The Commonwealth, which is made up of mainly former British colonies, suspended Zimbabwe in 2002, saying Mugabe had rigged his re-election to power and harassed opponents.

Zimbabwe toured England in July last year, contesting two Tests and a triangular one-day series also involving South Africa.