England lose Zimbabwe appeal

England have lost their appeal against an International Cricket Council ruling that their controversial World Cup match against Zimbabwe must go ahead in Harare next week.

The England and Wales Cricket Board made an official request to the ICC on Tuesday to move next Thursday’s Pool A fixture out of troubled Zimbabwe.

That was turned down yesterday, and following an ECB appeal the ICC appointed judge Justice Albie Sachs to make a final decision over whether there was any justification on security grounds for moving the tie to South Africa.

But it was confirmed in Cape Town tonight that the appeal judge has concluded the match should go ahead as scheduled.

Justice Sachs’ decision leaves the England team and their employers with the choice of either fulfilling the fixture despite their fears of violence surrounding the game or boycotting it and losing much-needed World Cup points as well as incurring a possible financial penalty for breaking their contract with cricket’s international governing body.