NEWPORT-based David Morgan has revealed he will NOT be shaking the hand of Robert Mugabe before England play their controversial World Cup match two weeks today - because the Zimbabwe dictator will not be around to offer it.

And the new England and Wales Cricket Board chairman has told of his astonishment that he was chastised by national team representative Richard Bevan after revealing the contents of a private conversation with captain Nasser Hussain about the on-off match to the media.

Tredegar-born Morgan linked-up in a crunch meeting with the International Cricket Council from his home today which was expected to decide on whether England will play their match with Zimbabwe in Harare or move it to South Africa.

But he revealed that, no matter where the game is played, Mugabe won't be there to offer his hand to him or anyone else.

Morgan has been said to be the only member of the England party who will be at the World Cup that could greet the Zimbabwe president.

But, contrary to those suggestions, the ECB chairman said: "It's already been determined by the Cricket World Cup authorities that the only political involvement in the proceedings will be from the South African Prime Minister at the official opening of the World Cup in Cape Town and there will be no other formalities of political leaders after that opening ceremony."

And after Professional Cricketers' Association managing director Bevan said that Morgan had 'ambushed' the players by disclosing

his talks with Hussain on the squad's concerns about the match, the Board chairman rebutted the accusation.

Bevan said: "To be frank, we're totally surprised at David Morgan's comments. Maybe we expected to be ambushed by the media at some time but not by the chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board."

Morgan replied: "I find it incredible. I have not seen or spoken to Richard Bevan and it's quite interesting there is this ambush theory.

"I've done my best to reflect the concerns that the England players have, but I have to be responsible for not just the England players but for another 350-plus professional players in England and Wales.

"If we do not handle this properly, we could find ourselves on the wrong end of a very hefty bill for failing to meet our commercial and other commitments to Cricket World Cup. The thing has to handled in an appropriate way."

Morgan was waiting last night for report by American security consultants Kroll into the safety and security issues regarding Zimbabwe.

It is a crucial document for the video meeting and an ICC spokesman said last night: "The board will be using the report from Kroll as one of the sources of information about the situation in Zimbabwe and any decisions will be made on the basis of the information they receive.

Morgan said today's video conference may not be the end of the matter even though the clock is still running on the issue with the proposed match now just a fortnight away.