The International Cricket Council (ICC) have promised to give a written response tomorrow to the England and Wales Cricket Board to their request to move England's controversial World Cup opener from Zimbabwe.
ECB chief executive Tim Lamb revealed in a Cape Town press conference tonight that talks had been held with ICC officials earlier this evening.
The ECB and the England players want Thursday's game in Harare moved from Zimbabwe following death threats made by a group called the Sons and Daughters of Zimbabwe.
But research by Deputy National Commissioner of South African Police Andre Pruis into the death-threat letter concluded that the group was unlikely to exist and that it was most probably the work of a single individual.
The ICC are therefore insisting the match should go ahead as scheduled.
Lamb said: "During the course of the meeting with Malcolm Speed (ICC chief executive) the ICC recognised the need to make a further written response to the ECB, which they promised to do tomorrow morning.
"At 3 p.m. on Sunday David Morgan contacted Malcolm Gray (ICC chairman) about certain new information that came to light in regard to the safety and security of the England team and officials.
"In the light of the new information we submitted to ICC that the only reasonable action was to relocate the match to a safe location outside Zimbabwe.
"ICC did not accept that the information posed any serious threat and directed that the match go ahead as scheduled. ICC also directed that they required a final decision as to whether the ECB would fulfil its obligations and play the match as directed.
"ECB considered its options and prepared a response which was faxed to ICC this afternoon. ECB noted the ICC direction to play the match in Harare but stated that ECB would continue to consult with ICC."
The ICC suggested a meeting with the ECB which was held in Cape Town tonight.
Now the ECB must wait for the ICC's written response to the latest pleas to have the match switched from Zimbabwe.
Before Lamb explained the latest twists in the long-running saga, England skipper Nasser Hussain spoke about yesterday's events.
He said: "The situation yesterday was that 15 cricketers were sat in a room with Richard Bevan (of the Professional Cricketers' Association) discussing whether or not to go to Zimbabwe.
"It was a very emotional meeting with some people in tears. People were trying to weigh up the difficult decision that we had to make.
"At that stage Mark (ECB lawyer Mark Roper-Drimie) burst in and said 'the chairman wants to speak to you'. He (Lamb) came in and said 'please stop what you're doing, we have some additional information for you'.
"He read from an email received from an ICC security man and that stated that there had been a letter, from a group called the Sons and Daughters of Zimbabwe, in which they stated they were very upset with the team.
"The chairman confirmed that it was a serious threat. Interpol knew who they were and said that they were linked to opposition groups in Zimbabwe.
"The chairman then left to discuss it with the ICC and a weight was lifted off our shoulders. We have left the ECB and the ICC and the lawyers to get on with it while we get on with the cricket."
PA