Police officers stand guard during a political rally addressed by Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe in Bindura, north of the capital, Harare.

New Zealand Cricket is unlikely to bow to an online petition demanding a boycott of the Black Caps' Zimbabwe tour, unless it believes there is a direct threat of violence towards its players.

A petition on Change.org is calling for NZC to pull out of their two-test tour, in a stand against President Robert Mugabe's regime as protests and strikes over unpaid wages and the country's woeful economy cause unrest in the capital, Harare. The New Zealand-based Black Caps touched down in South Africa on Tuesday for a week-long camp in Pretoria, before they transfer to Harare for their warmup match starting on July 22.

NZC says it is monitoring the tense situation in Harare but a boycott would not occur unless it deteriorated rapidly.

PHIL WALTER/GETTY IMAGES Coach Mike Hesson remains confident the Black Caps tour of Zimbabwe will go ahead despite rising unrest in the capital, Harare.

Under the International Cricket Council's Future Tours Programme agreement, teams that pull out of scheduled tours are ruled to be in breach of contract, and liable to pay hefty compensation to the host nation including loss of broadcasting rights money.

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An NZC spokesman said the financial implications meant it would not boycott a scheduled tour solely on political grounds.

NZC would either need to prove Zimbabwe was unsafe and there was a direct threat of violence to the tour party, or cast significant doubt on the host nation delivering the team's security and safety plan.

NZC twice postponed scheduled visits to Zimbabwe, in 2009 and 2010, due to security concerns before deeming it safe to tour in 2011. The Black Caps toured there without incident a year ago, playing three one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match, and India safely completed their series in Zimbabwe last month. South Africa A are currently playing a four-day match against Zimbabwe A in Harare, having been reassured about their security.

In 2005 the Black Caps toured Zimbabwe despite calls from the Green Party to boycott, but vowed to avoid any contact with Mugabe who remains patron of Zimbabwe Cricket.

The petition, started by Helen Doran of Hastings, urges NZC to boycott the tour: "in support of the massive uprising of ordinary Zimbabwean citizens against Robert Mugabe".

Last week, business in Harare and other cities ground to a halt as Zimbabweans stayed home to protest the government's handling of the deteriorating economy, the New York Times reported, in the latest sign of growing popular discontent with Mugabe's 36-year rule. Scores of riot police prowled the city's near deserted central business area in what was labelled 'stay away day'. Another such protest is expected this week.

Many civil servants, who had not been paid their June salaries, reported to work after being threatened with dismissal. But most public school teachers and government health care workers, who began striking a day earlier, did not show up for work, it was reported.

Police officers, members of the military and prison workers are the only government employees who had collected their June salaries. But in an indication of the government's strained finances, they received their pay two weeks late.

On departure on Monday, Black Caps coach Mike Hesson said NZC and the Players' Association were providing regular advice, and added he was confident the tour would proceed.

"Yes I am, absolutely, and there's nothing to suggest it won't at this stage," Hesson said.

"We've been pretty well briefed in terms of what's happening. Heading to South Africa for seven or eight days, if anything changes I'm sure we'll be given plenty of instruction. We're confident we're getting up to date information."​

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