Neil Johnson believes he may not be the right man to replace Hampshire skipper Shane Warne on a temporary basis next season.

The Zimbabwean left hander is currently playing in South Africa for Western Province but is still keen to play county cricket next year after spending the last two English summers with Hampshire.

And, with Hampshire needing a replacement for Warne when the club skipper is away with Australia, Johnson would be interesting in playing as a 'fill-in' at The Rose Bowl.

The former Leicestershire player was a popular figure in the Hampshire dressing-room, but knee and ankle trouble severely restricted his bowling last season.

Johnson, who is 33 next month, said: "I would like to come back.

"I love the club and the area and so does my wife but I'm not sure if it would be the right decision for Hampshire.

"Shane's a leg spinner while I only bowl occasionally. They may want someone who offers more as a bowler as a replacement."

Johnson scored 1,073 first class runs for Hampshire in 2001. He failed to match that last season but he is batting well for Western Province in the Supersport series, South Africa's equivalent of the county championship.

At the time of writing, he had scored 301 runs at an average of 43.00 with the bat.

He has not enjoyed his bowling as much. Last month, he was banned for two one-day games for showing active misconduct and unruly behaviour after having an appeal for a caught and bowled turned down.

And Johnson, once a genuine all-rounder who played the last of his 13 Tests two years ago, has taken just four first class wickets at a cost of more than 50 runs each for Western Province this season.

But as an opening batsman, he would offer Hampshire a useful option at the top of the order now that Giles White and Jason Laney are no longer at the club.

l International Cricket Council chairman Malcolm Speed has accused politicians of "passing the buck" in the dispute over whether World Cup matches should be played in Zimbabwe next year.

The ICC announced yesterday it would press on with plans to stage six of the first-round games, including England's fixture against Zimbabwe on February 13, in the troubled country after a fact-finding delegation reported there were no problems with safety arrangements.

There have been concerns over security in Zimbabwe following international condemnation of president Robert Mugabe's policy of enforced redistribution of the land previously owned by white farmers in 2000.

And government ministers have also urged the ICC to switch the venues of the games away from Zimbabwe.

England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Tim Lamb accepted the ICC's decision and confirmed the England team will play their tournament opener in Harare.