An International Cricket Council inspection party visited Zimbabwe last month and concluded that there was no reason why the matches should not go ahead.Jowell had hoped to persuade the ECB to pull out of Zimbabwe in the light of Mugabe’s human rights record. “We have expressed a view on two counts, first of all the deterioration in security and secondly the appalling human rights situation in Zimbabwe,” she said.”We explored very thoroughly the ECB’s major concern, which is the cost to them. But because it is a decision for them there can be no question of compensation from the taxpayer. What is important is that a cricket match does not become a festival that Mugabe uses for propaganda advantages.”The ECB is seeking a guarantee of compensation if it pulled out of Zimbabwe and was then sued by the ICC. Lamb said: “We have signed legally binding contracts with the ICC and their commercial partners, GCC, and there is unlimited liability on us if we breach those contracts. The chief executive of ICC, Malcolm Speed, is unable to put a finger on how much exactly we might be sued for by way of damages.”There is also the point that the Zimbabwe Government might retaliate by instructing the Zimbabwe team not to come to the United Kingdom to play in our npower Test series and in our NatWest triangular tournament in the summer. And bearing in mind that 85 per cent of our annual revenue comes from international cricket that would leave the ECB in a very serious financial position that could have a detrimental effect on English cricket.”Lamb added: “The final decision about whether we play this match does, as the Government maintains, technically rest with the ECB.

However, if we sacrifice this match it will, in effect, be at the Government’s request – and for the wider national interest. We don’t understand therefore the Government’s refusal to compensate us out of the national purse for any consequential losses we incur. These losses could damage cricket enormously.”In these situations, it’s often the development side of things, grass-roots cricket, all the money we’re putting into women’s and girls’ cricket, all the development activities that we’ve been engaged in since the formation of the ECB six years ago – these are the areas that are likely to suffer.”Lamb said the ECB was fully aware of the “immoral and repressive nature of the Mugabe regime”. “Should we fulfil this fixture, we have given the Government our assurance that we are determined not to give the Mugabe regime any opportunity to make propaganda out of the England team playing against Zimbabwe. That is the last thing we want to happen.”One chance of an outcome satisfactory to all would be if the ICC decided that the security situation in Zimbabwe had deteriorated to the point where it would have to switch the matches to South Africa.Lamb said: “Ministers and the Foreign Office have made it clear to us that there is a possibility, with the economic and political turmoil in Zimbabwe, that there is a risk of a deteriorating situation. If that happens the International Cricket Council has made it quite clear on the record that it may revisit its decision to play the matches.”.

The Middlesbrough manager Steve McClaren is making a £4m bid for Bolton Wanderers’ unsettled striker Michael Ricketts. Boro have money to spend in the transfer window and are desperate for a forward. McClaren, who was part of the England set-up when Ricketts received his only cap last season, thinks the unpredictable attacker could be the answer.Bolton have also been contacted by Tottenham about a swap deal involving the versatile Gary Doherty, but Wanderers would prefer cash.Ricketts has an unhappy relationship with his manager, Sam Allardyce, but he has shown his talent with a run of goals lately. However he could be sold at the right price, and Boro are close to agreement.Allardyce said: “Tottenham have made an inquiry and are talking about exchanges, which is not acceptable for a player of Michael’s talent.”I could do damage with the money if there was a sale. I can bring in some top-drawer foreign players with that.”His Birmingham City counterpart Steve Bruce is in talks with Montpellier about a £2m move for Cameroon’s World Cup defender Bill Tchato.The United States international Tony Sanneh has turned down the chance to join West Bromwich Albion from the Germany Bundesliga club Nuremberg after failing to agree personal terms.The Sunderland striker Kevin Kyle has committed his future to the club after signing a three-year extension to his contract. The 21-year-old Scotland international will remain on Wearside until 2006.Southampton’s Latvian striker Marian Pahars needs an ankle operation which is likely to keep him out of action for another six weeks.