BRITAIN'S Sports Minister Hugh Robertson has reiterated England's stance on playing against Zimbabwe, stating that until Zimbabwe Cricket head Peter Chingoka is ousted the two teams will not compete.
Zimbabwe cricket is on the rise, having endured a period in exile the team has of late competed against a number of Test playing nations, with the Southern African nation also aiming to regain their Test status.
Many former players have returned to the Zimbabwean ranks, both on and off the field, while former Surrey coach Alan Butcher was appointed the team's head coach earlier in the year.
But despite the changes in the country's cricketing structures the English's stance has not changed because Peter Chingoka remains at the helm.
"The problem is simple," Robertson told The Telegraph.
"Zimbabwe cricket is headed by a man who sits on the EU banned list and he sits on that list for good reasons.
"As long as he is in charge of Zimbabwe cricket it is extremely difficult for them to be fully integrated into the global cricketing community. Officially government advice remains we discourage teams from playing. England will be discouraged from travelling over there and it is difficult for them to come here while their chairman remains on the banned list.
"It is very difficult to welcome a team here if the chairman cannot get a visa to enter this country," he added.
Intrestingly, the current England coach Andy Flower is a former star batsman for Zimbabwe.