KENT MP Julian Brazier is calling on the county's cricket lovers to play their part in keeping England’s World Cup team out of troubled Zimbabwe.

The member for the Canterbury constituency is encouraging sports fans to donate £1 towards potential International Cricket Council fines that would surely be imposed should England pull out of next Thursday’s World Cup group clash with Zimbabwe in Harare.

Each donation is made by calling a national ballot line on 0906 1200 005 to register a vote for or against England’s proposed trip, with proceeds going to help the England and Wales Cricket Board pay ICC penalties.

In urging Kent fans to have their say, Mr Brazier said: “I do not believe World Cup matches should be staged in Zimbabwe. I feel the ICC decision to play on, risks debasing the great game of cricket by associating it with an unscrupulous dictator like Robert Mugabe.

“My colleague, Michael Ancram (shadow foreign secretary), rightly described the original ruling as a ‘victory for tyranny and a sad day for English cricket’.”

Mr Brazier also believes the Labour Government has failed in its duty to offer advice to the ECB and England’s players.

“It is unfair that our cricket team should have to make a decision that ought to be the Government’s responsibility,” he added.