World Cup director Ali Bacher will visit Zimbabwe to make sure it is safe to hold matches in the troubled African nation.

Zimbabwe will host six matches during the World Cup but is currently affected by political unrest and threatened by famine.

World Cup organisers have refused to move the games from Zimbabwe unless the security situation deteriorates.

Bacher said he has met the South African police to discuss the matter.

'I was told our police and the Zimbabwe police are in close, regular contact,' he said.

'We can expect a safe and secure World Cup in Zimbabwe. I'm going up there in the next 10 days to get a feel of what the situation is.'

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Protest groups in Zimbabwe will hold demonstrations to coincide with World Cup matches in the country.

Opposition groups are unhappy that Zimbabwe is being allowed to host the matches because of President Robert Mugabe's human rights record.

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South African skipper Shaun Pollock believes his squad has a good chance of becoming the first side to win a cricket World Cup at home, but admitted that playing one-day games was 'a bit of a lottery.'

'I have confidence in every single individual we have in our squad, that they can perform in any situation,' Pollock said.

'We have got a team that can go all the way,' he said.

South Africa have had a good season, beating Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan in both Tests and one-day internationals.

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Contrary to media reports this week, South African batsman Daryll Cullinan has not retired from international cricket.

Cullinan was not selected for the South Africa A tour to Zimbabwe and made himself unavailable for the tour to England, hence the confusion over his future.

The batsman said he would have jumped at the chance to play another Test series in England if chosen, but recently committed himself to an ICC development project in Africa.

'The time to call it quits may be drawing near but I haven't made any final decision yet,' Cullinan said.

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