Lamb wants new safety checks on Zimbabwe

England could gain a face-saving reprieve from their World Cup match in Zimbabwe should the game's world governing body deem the African country unsafe.

The England and Wales Cricket Board have been criticised in some quarters for confirming that they will fulfil their 13 February World Cup fixture in Harare. The Government had recommended they boycott the match in protest at President Robert Mugabe's regime.

The ECB have agreed to the match against the co-hosts because the International Cricket Council passed Zimbabwe safe for players, officials and spectators. However, the ECB chief executive Tim Lamb has written to the ICC to request another assessment in the wake of rioting in Harare and Bulawayo, and given that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have advised British subjects not to travel to Zimbabwe.

"I have written to the ICC saying we do think it's important in the light of recent events in Zimbabwe that there is a revisitation of the security situation in the country," he said. "The ECB will not expect its players to go to Harare if there's any perceived risk."

World Cup organisers said yesterday they were ready to handle any protests, while the country's main opposition party denied that it was plotting disruptions. Patrick Ronan, head of security for the tournament, said: "There have been threatened demonstrations...We don't know what form the protests would take [but] there are procedures in place. From a safety and security perspective – politics apart – Zimbabwe has the capacity to secure the players and officials."

Paul Themba-Nyathi, a spokesman for Zimbabwe's main opposition Movement for Democratic Change, said: "I am not aware of the MDC as a party having ideas to disrupt... those matches, but I am aware of a number of very angry Zimbabweans wanting to send a clear message to the cricketers that they can not call it sporting business as usual."

England's Alec Stewart said: "We'll stick together on this. The players have had a meeting where it was felt we should gather as much information about Zimbabwe as possible, though press cuttings and other information from the ECB.

"We haven't really had a further discussion, apart from the fact that the ECB employ us. They've made a decision and we'll do as our employers tell us. If the government suddenly come in and put sanctions on, then I'm sure everything will change, but that hasn't happened."