The ICC ruled on Wednesday that countries could only cancel a tour for security reasons or if ordered to do so by their governments.

Any unilateral decision will incur a $2 million fine and possible suspension from the international game.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has been under pressure to cancel this October's tour of Zimbabwe due to the British government's serious concerns over President Robert Mugabe's rule.

However, as Zimbabwe Cricket Union chairman Peter Chingoka pointed out, West Indies had recently toured Zimbabwe while Bangladesh were currently on tour. Sri Lanka and Australia have also confirmed they will fulfil their tour obligations.

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Speaking after a two-day ICC meeting in Auckland in New Zealand, England and Wales Cricket Board chairman David Morgan said the board was committed to touring Zimbabwe.

But he confirmed the ECB was facing "very significant pressure" from the British government.

Morgan said a letter from Foreign Secretary Jack Straw had been "widely interpreted as constituting specific advice not to proceed with the tour".

ECB DECISION

He added: "We were further told explicitly via the Sports Minister (Richard Caborn) last week that the government does not support the tour".

However, at a Westminster news conference later in the day, Prime Minister Tony Blair's official spokesman made it clear that the decision whether to tour or not still lay with the ECB.

"We have underlined to them the situation in Zimbabwe," he said. "The government has very serious concerns about the Mugabe regime. The ECB are reflecting on these issues at the moment."

But Shadow Foreign Secretary Michael Ancram said there had been no firm government directive.

"Since last April I have repeatedly asked Jack Straw to take decisive action by advising the ECB against touring Zimbabwe," he said in a statement.

"There are precedents for governments taking moral and political decisions on matters such as these. If he had any compassion for the people of Zimbabwe, Jack Straw would end the confusion and put a stop to this tour now."

England refused to play in Zimbabwe during last year's World Cup for security reasons, which would be acceptable to the ICC. Cancelling a tour for moral reasons, however justifiable, without a direct government instruction, would not.