Pringle to risk Zim deportation

Pringle played 30 Tests for England between 1982 and 1992

Journalist Derek Pringle will risk deportation from Zimbabwe by refusing to sign a declaration that commits him to cover nothing other than cricket.

England decided to proceed with the tour after the government dropped its media ban, but the row may not be over.

"My editor told me on no account to sign any such guarantee," said Pringle, a former Test player who is now cricket correspondent for the Daily Telegraph.

"If they want to deport me for that, then so be it."

Pringle said other members of the British press pack could follow suit, depending on the advice of their editors.

"A lot of them haven't discussed it yet at length with their editors," he added.

"Mike Walters, the Daily Mirror's correspondent, has been told not to travel at all by his paper and he is travelling home.

"I've been told one or two others have been told not to sign any such declaration."

The first match of the one-day series takes place in Harare on Sunday after the media ban affair caused the cancellation of Friday's scheduled tour opener.

Pringle, a former all-rounder, played 30 Tests for England between 1982 and 1992.

He scored 695 runs at an average of 15.1 and took 70 wickets at 36 runs apiece.

Pringle played in two World Cups, including the 1987 tournament in India which saw England lose to Australia in the final.