Olonga staged a personal protest during the World Cup

Lord MacLaurin, chairman of the England team's sponsors, Vodafone, believes it would be wrong to make the tour with the Mugabe regime still in place.

"I think he's spot on. The situation in Zimbabwe has not improved. The common citizens are living in abject poverty.

"It would be wrong for any country to go touring in Zimbabwe at the moment," Olonga told the BBC Sport website.

He hit the headlines during the World Cup earlier this year when he and team-mate Andy Flower wore black armbands during Zimbabwe's opening match.

They said they were mourning "the death of democracy" in their country.

Olonga and Flower's statement

England refused to play in Zimbabwe during the World Cup, forfeiting points which ultimately led to their failure to progress beyond the first round.

But David Morgan, chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, later gave what was described as a qualified assurance to the Zimbabwe Cricket Union that the 2004 tour would take place.

MacLaurin, who was Morgan's predecessor as chairman, said, however, that the tour would damage the image of his company and the England team.

"We do not want to support a side that goes and plays in a country with the sort of regime that is reviled, not just by this company, but by many in the country," he commented.

There's a problem in Zimbabwe and someone needs to make a decision once and for all instead of making the cricketers a scapegoat From Shalini Have your say on 606

Olonga retired from international cricket following the World Cup and is currently living and working in England.

"I don't know how much Vodafone's sponsorship is worth, but I suppose the ECB will be in a bit of a quandary now," he said.

"The English and Australian governments - and the United States - have been very up front and vocal in their disapproval of the regime in Zimbabwe, but I think more can be done.

"Opportunities like this are absolutely perfect to illustrate how strongly those governments feel.

"Obviously the government doesn't have the jurisdiction over whether the cricket team goes or not. But at some point, they've got to streamline and be on the same page."

Des Wilson, chairman of the ECB's Corporate Affairs Committee, told the BBC that Vodafone's view would be taken into account.

"The tour is still 12 months away - so we feel we've got a little bit of time left.

"We want to hear what emerges from the Commonwealth heads conference in December. We will take further advice in the New Year and then we'll decide whether we can proceed.