Two English umpires, Peter Willey and Neil Mallender, have withdrawn from their World Cup matches in Zimbabwe on safety grounds.

"They did not feel comfortable after the England team had pulled out of their match in Harare and they confirmed that to us," an International Cricket Council spokesman said in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

Willey was due to stand in Zimbabwe's game against Australia on February 24 and as third umpire for the match against Holland on February 28 at Bulawayo.

Mallender was to officiate as the TV umpire for the Holland match.

"They have been replaced by other umpires on the official panel and there is no change to the games," the ICC spokesman added.

Willey, a former England all-rounder, said, "I advised the ICC some time ago of my concerns and indicated that if my employer, the ECB [England and Wales Cricket Board], did not send its team to Zimbabwe, I would be unlikely to travel to the country."

Willey has been replaced by Billy Bowden of New Zealand for the Australia match, and by Nadeem Ghouri of Pakistan for the Netherlands game.

Brian Jerling of South Africa will replace Mallender.

The two umpires took the decision despite plea from the Zimbabwe Cricket Union that the country was safe.

"Security here and at both our grounds is extremely tight. Willey has absolutely no need to worry on that account, nor any one else," ZCU chief executive Vince Hogg was quoted as saying on a Web site.