CRICKET: ECB start talks to reverse media ban.

LEADING English cricket officials will touch down in Harare today attempting to put pressure on the Zimbabwe government to reverse their decision to ban several British media organisations from covering England's one-day tour.

The England one-day squad and the travelling media were due to touch down tonight in Harare for the start of a 10-day tour which has been widely condemned because of the land reform policies of president Robert Mugabe.

But just 24 hours before the arrival of a strong media contingent, the Zimbabwe government released a list of journalists who would be banned from making the trip which included reporters from BBC radio and television, the Daily and Sunday Telegraph, the Times and Sunday Times, the Sun, the Daily Mirror and the News of the World.

The International Cricket Council, the world's governing body, are seeking urgent clarification about the reasons for Zimbabwe allowing entry to some journalists and preventing others, and a contingent from the England and Wales Cricket Board aim to add further pressure when they arrive this morning.

ECB chairman David Morgan, chairman of the first-class forum Mike Soper and director of cricket operations John Carr arrive today determined to resolve the dispute but also insisting it would not cause the controversial tour to be cancelled.

Morgan, speaking shortly before he boarded his flight at Heathrow airport, claimed he would try again and speak to Peter Chingoka, the president of Zimbabwe Cricket, as soon as possible.

"I'm very disappointed," he admitted. "I've been working on this with Peter Chingoka day-in and day-out for some time now and the ICC have also been helping and trying to exert pressure."

CAPTION(S):

ON THE ATTACK: Warwickshire's Ian Bell hits out on his way to 51 in England's seven-wicket win over Namibia in their first warm-up game yesterday.