NZ cricket team will tour Zimbabwe

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand's cricket team will tour Zimbabwe next year unless they are expressly instructed not to do so, New Zealand Cricket's (NZC) chief executive has said.

The New Zealand government, which is a vocal critic of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's regime, has said they were opposed to the tour of the southern African state next year but would not intervene.

All teams are bound by the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Future Tours Programme, which has the power to fine a country's cricketing body a minimum of $2 million (1 million pounds) if they do not fulfil their touring obligations.

Only government intervention, concerns for security and safety or an ICC directive can excuse the team's obligations.

"No ICC team has unilaterally pulled out because they haven't agreed with the politics of the host nation; that's always been a decision for the government of the day," NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan told New Zealand's Sunday Star Times newspaper.

"It's a political question and requires a political solution; it's not a decision NZC should have to make.

"We are a group of cricket administrators. We might have strong feelings about the situation in Zimbabwe but judging international politics is not what we're about. There are other, far more qualified people to do that job, politicians for example."

The British government has led calls for Zimbabwe to be suspended from international cricket following the unopposed re-election of Mugabe. Britain accused Mugabe of using violence and intimidation to silence his political opponents.

Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the main opposition, withdrew from the election following attacks on his supporters.