After the fiasco surrounding England's refusal to play a World Cup match in Zimbabwe in 2003, this year's scheduled tour was always going to attract controversy.
A mass walkout led by Heath Streak's rebels and the suspension of Zimbabwe's Test status in the country amid allegations of racism made the whole situation even more complex.
On Sunday, the International Cricket Council cleared the Zimbabwe Cricket Union of racism and restored the country's Test status from the start of 2005.
BBC Sport follows the chain of events.
April 2004
Heath Streak is dismissed as captain after falling out with the Zimbabwe Cricket Union over selection policy.
Within days, a mass boycott of white players loyal to Streak is threatened. They issue a 2,719 page document outlining detailed grievances.
Eventually, with a home one-day series against Sri Lanka looming, 13 players declare themselves unavailable and Tatenda Taibu leads a group of novices.
The rebel group grows to 15 and three prominent black players Doug Hondo, Dion Ebrahim and Mluleki Nkala also consider joining Streak's cause.
May
The rebels say they will talk to their bosses at the ZCU but warn that if Streak is not reinstated as captain - and selection procedures are not changed - they will demand third-party arbitration.
Zimbabwe's Test series against Australia is scrapped. A farcical one-day series follows, and Streak urges all Test nations to boycott his country.
June
After an emergency meeting of the ICC in Dubai, Zimbabwe's Test status is suspended until the end of the year.
A week later, ZCU chief executive Vince Hogg resigns, blaming the "ill-conceived" actions of the rebels, which he says have damaged Zimbabwean cricket.
July
The ICC reveals England have agreed to tour Zimbabwe. Soon, the England and Wales Cricket Board finds it necessary to deny newspaper claims that seven leading players will refuse to make the trip.
Deputy chairman Mike Soper, meanwhile, says the tour should be kept as short as possible.
The rebel group arrives in England for a short tour under the name Red Lions, playing a match against a Lashings side including former Zimbabwe seam bowler Henry Olonga, who quit the country in 2003.
August
A two-man panel is appointed by the ICC to look into allegations of racism at the ZCU with both warring sides having agreed to arbitration.
Taibu talks about the pressures of leading an under-strength Zimbabwe team and explains why he decided not to join the rebels, saying: "I didn't join them because I love cricket, and I would play for no cost if I had to."
September
 |  England's World Cup squad spent an horrendous four days before finally deciding not to go to Harare |
Steve Harmison boycotts the tour and England eventually name a squad without Andrew Flintoff and Marcus Trescothick, who will be rested. Flintoff confirms, however, that he would not have made the trip in any event.
The ICC inquiry into the Zimbabwe affair is abandoned after a dispute over court procedure.
Lawyer Chris Venturas, representing the rebels, claims the presence of three ZCU officials could intimidate witnesses.
One of the players, Stuart Carlisle, tells the BBC : "It's upsetting that it was a stalemate, but we leave it up to the good judgment of the judges that were here and hope they can come up with a fair and honest report, which I'm sure they will."
October
The ICC announces the findings of the two-man panel - South African judge Steven Majiedt and India's solicitor general Goolam Vahanvati - which rejects the allegations from the players and states there is no racism within the ZCU. Zimbabwe's Test status is also restored from the start of 2005.
England's tour is still scheduled to go ahead, subject to their being adequate safety and security.
MMIX
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