ENGLAND AND WALES CRICKET BOARD

Early day motion 549, tabled 21 January 2003 by Derek Wyatt (Labour). Signed by 15 members.

That this House notes that the English and Wales Cricket Board's fourth objective as outlined in its own constitution states that the company's objects are to uphold and enhance the traditions and spirit of the game of cricket; calls therefore on the constituent bodies of the ECB to conduct a poll of its members to ascertain whether it now has their full support for the forthcoming trip to Zimbabwe to play in the One Day World Cup; further notes that neither the Prime Minister nor the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs have been afforded the chance to brief the England cricketers in Australia by video phone; rejects the allegations made by members of the ECB Board that any cancellation would cost them somewhere in the region of ú1 million and ú10 million as both the ICC and ECB have risk insurance policies; and calls on the selected England cricketers to honour the spirit of cricket as outlined in their own constitution and withdraw from playing in Zimbabwe.

Signatures by party: Labour 12, Labour/Co-operative 3.