Banned journalist Agnew demands ECB action

Jonathan Agnew, the BBC's cricket correspondent and Standard Sport columnist, today called on ECB chairman David Morgan to act decisively today unless Zimbabwe back down over the media row.

"England's cricket team have played so well these last few months, they've climbed up the rankings and they've earned a great deal of respect throughout the world for the way they are playing," said Agnew, who is one of 13 British journalists banned from entering Zimbabwe.

"But the leadership has been lacking so much on this Zimbabwe issue.

"The ECB have a big day ahead of them to make the right decision as far as this is concerned.

"If they are going to allow Zimbabwe to dictate who can come in and who can't come in to report on a series of cricket matches then they really are in severe trouble I'd say. The chairman has got to do the right thing. If he doesn't get the right answers from the Zimbabwe government and Zimbabwe Cricket Union then he has to call the tour off.

"I think many cricket followers will be flabbergasted to hear David Morgan's reaction," he added after the ECB's chairman had reiterated England's need to fulfil its obligations under the ICC's future tours programme.