Maria Stevens lost her husband three years ago

The wife of a man murdered three years ago during the occupation of white-owned farms in Zimbabwe has criticised the current tour of England by the country's cricket team.

Maria Stevens' husband David was dragged from his farm and shot by self-styled war veterans during the 2000 occupations. She blamed the government of Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe for his death.

The tour is controversial because Mr Mugabe is patron of the Zimbabwean cricket team.

Speaking on the BBC World Service's Outlook programme, Ms Stevens condemned both the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the UK Government for allowing the tour to go ahead.

The decision is not for individual players - they are living under such stress in Zimbabwe that they are most probably incredibly grateful to get out Maria Stevens

Both, she said, "didn't have the guts to say: 'It is wrong, it is genocide in Zimbabwe, they are killing and murdering people, we should not support that regime'."

On Tuesday UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw told the House of Commons that he supported the tour, saying stopping it would only punish "ordinary Zimbabweans".

World Cup blame

But Ms Stevens said that the wrong messages had been sent out when England went to the World Cup in southern Africa, despite being asked not to by the UK Government.

"The damage had already been made when England were prepared to go to Zimbabwe and play cricket," she said.

The ECB told the government at the time that, if it did not want England to play the match, it must pay them compensation.

When this did not happen, England's players eventually took the decision not to play on the grounds of safety concerns.

Players under stress

"I do know that a lot of people feel that politics and sport cannot be mixed together, but we must remember that the cricket team that is here is here under circumstances that, had politics and sport not mixed, would not be here," Ms Stevens added.

"A lot of players that should have been in the team are not allowed to play."

Protests against the tour are already under way

Fast bowler Henry Olonga is among those who would possibly otherwise have been included in the squad.

He has fled to England since the World Cup after making a protest against Mr Mugabe in Zimbabwe's opening match.

Ms Stevens added that she did not blame Zimbabwe's players for going on the tour.

"Of course it's not for individual players - they are living under such stress in Zimbabwe that they are most probably incredibly grateful to come out of Zimbabwe to just get peace of mind, to know that you can get food," she said.

"In Zimbabwe you can't get food, you can't get any of the commodities you need for a normal life, you are scared that you're going to be murdered by the government militia or police.

"Now that they are here I feel that the best team must win, and good luck to our boys."

She added that what had happened to her husband's killer since his arrest had only confirmed her suspicions about the involvement of Mr Mugabe's regime in Mr Stevens' death.

"There was a man put in jail, and he did go through court and he was found guilty - but Mugabe gave him amnesty and I assume he is now part of Mugabe's outstanding society."