Now Scotland face Zimbabwe dilemma

Almost 11 months since England's controversial one-day series in Zimbabwe finally took place, the whole debate over playing cricket against Zimbabwe is likely to resurface after Scotland were informed that they will have to play them ahead of the 2007 World Cup.

While common sense behind the decision appears to be lacking given the sensitivity of the Zimbabwe issue in Britain - the fixture, part of a triangular one-day series in Kenya at the behest of the ICC - it now leaves Scotland in a difficult position. If they boycott the match then the will risk being fined by the ICC, and if they play it they will be subjected to considerable pressure from human rights campaigners.

England just about weathered a ferocious moral storm when they played Zimbabwe in November 2004, and since then the government has formally requested that the ICC suspend matches against Zimbabwe because of the country's dismal human rights record.

"We would prefer that such matches did not take place," a spokesman for the government told The Scotsman. "We made that clear to England but we haven't yet spoken to Cricket Scotland on the issue. But ultimately the decision lies with the relevant sporting body."

What could save Scotland is that the tournament is being held in Nairobi and not Zimbabwe. "It poses a different question than if it involved touring there," Craig Wright, Scotland's captain, told the paper. "The England boys and all the other teams who have been there over the past few years have had to wrestle with their conscience and have had a really hard time. As things stand at the moment, it's good that we're not in as difficult a position as they were."

Ryan Watson, Scotland's vice-captain, was brought up in Zimbabwe and is opposed to the regime of Robert Mugabe. But he acknowledged that the game could boost Scotland ahead of the World Cup. "With a full-strength side, we should beat them as their morale is low at the moment. Their A-side just got absolutely thrashed by Kenya and their cricket is as poor as it's ever been. Now is a good time to play them."