Zimbabwe tour plea from England stars

Harmison have become the first players to break ranks and pull out of the proposed one-day series in November in Harare and Bulawayo.

So far, according to Richard Bevan, chief executive of the Professional Cricketers' Association, no England players have made themselves unavailable. But Bevan urged the England and Wales Cricket Board to reach a decision on the exact nature of the tour soon. He said: "I don't think either player (Flintoff or Harmison) has made that decision and it would be wrong of them to do so until their employer, the ECB, tells them exactly what is to take place in terms of the tour."

Bevan is leading the negotiating on behalf of the players. Most, if not all, are seriously concerned about visiting Zimbabwe because of its appalling human rights record under Robert Mugabe's regime.

The ECB, however, insists the tour must go ahead unless there are safety issues or a directive from the government not to travel. Board chairman David Morgan has repeated his assurance that any player opting to stay away for moral reasons will not be penalised and is confident the players' concerns can be resolved.