The England cricket board made an official request this afternoon to switch the team's World Cup match against Zimbabwe to South Africa because of mountingconcerns over security.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), after weeks of hesitating, finally backed their players by calling on the International Cricket Council (ICC) to move the February 13th game in Harare.
An ECB statement said that it would "be making a submission to the ICC World Cup technical committee to request that England's match in Harare on February 13th be moved to South Africa for safety and security reasons".
It added skipper Nasser Hussain and coach Duncan Fletcher backed the decision. Australia's players could make a similar call after discussing the safety situation with Australia's High Commissioner to Zimbabwe later today.
That would throw the tournament schedule into turmoil just five days before the opening game on Sunday, with New Zealand already refusing to play in Kenya, also on safety grounds.
England's request, prompted by social and political unrest in Zimbabwe, could be considered as early as Thursday by the six-man World Cup technical committee.
ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said in a statement: "Prior to this request from the ECB, no country has sought a review of the ICC decision to stage games in Zimbabwe."
Should it be rejected, England would have to forfeit the match, a move which would leave them with a very slim chance of reaching the second round.
PA