London: England batsman Graham Thorpe has hit out at the ECB over their decision to go ahead with the trip to Zimbabwe to play five ODIs from November 26 before the tour of South Africa. Thorpe has retired from ODIs, but will team up with Michael Vaughan?s squad for the five Tests in South Africa starting December.

He told the Mail On Sunday: ?(The ECB) allowed themselves to be bullied by the ICC (International Cricket Council) and it in turn has bullied the players psychologically with threats of what will happen to the game in this country if they don?t tour.?

In March, the ICC said any country refusing to fulfil their tour obligations for anything other than security reasons or governmental direction would face a minimum $2 million fine and possible suspension.

Thorpe said players could not understand ?a logic that says it was right to pull out of the World Cup match in Harare last year but wrong not to travel now.?

Pace bowler Steve Harmison ruled himself out of the tour two months ago for political reasons and the ECB said at the time any player who made himself unavailable for reasons of personal conscience would not be penalised.