Zimbabwe squad hit by players' boycott

The Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) announced a 14-man squad after 13 leading players, all of them white and including former captain Heath Streak, refused to play in the one-day and Test series after a row over selection policy.

Only four of the selected squad, captained by 20-year-old wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu, played in Zimbabwe's last test and one-day side against Bangladesh in February and March.

The boycott was sparked earlier this month by a ZCU announcement that Streak, a world-class bowler and the mainstay of the side, had quit all cricket.

The board said he resigned because he was unhappy with the composition of the selectors' panel although Streak's father denied his son had resigned.

The 'rebel' players announced their boycott earlier on Thursday while demanding that Streak be reinstated, one selector be sacked and that the board apologise for a series of "transgressions".

In a letter, they claimed there had been "threats of boycott, pitch invasions and digging up of the pitch" by at least one board official if more black players were not selected.

They argued earlier in the week that there had been "racial and ethnic discrimination" in team selection.

The board attempted to defuse the affair by slimming down the selection panel from five to four but they retained Max Ebrahim, who the players oppose because he has not coached or played at first-class level.

Zimbabwe, with few players to choose from and already struggling to compete at the top level, are scheduled to play five one-dayers, the first next Tuesday in Bulawayo, and two tests against Sri Lanka.

The ZCU has championed

Its critics, however, argue the policy has been politicised and gone too far.

Earlier this week the International Cricket Council, the sport's governing body, called for both sides to "act in the best interests of the game" but said it would not intervene since it was a "domestic issue".

This is not the first rebellion to rock Zimbabwe cricket.

The team lost world-class wicketkeeper-batsman Andy Flower -- who averaged 51.54 in 63 tests and played more than 200 one-dayers -- and seamer Henry Olonga after last year's World Cup after the pair protested against the "death of democracy" under President Robert Mugabe's government.

Alistair Campbell and Guy Whittall, two more Zimbabwe regulars, retired soon after to weaken the squad further.

The 13 rebel players are Streak, Stuart Carlisle, Grant Flower -- Andy's brother -- Craig Wishart, Andy Blignaut, Raymond Price, Gary Brent, Sean Ervine, Travis Friend, Barney Rogers, Trevor Gripper, Richard Sims and Neil Ferreria.

They face further confrontations with their board, which has threatened to punish them if they fail to turn up to training on Friday.

Taibu, who has played 14 tests and who Streak has praised as a fine player, will become the youngest captain in test history when he leads Zimbabwe against Sri Lanka in the first test next month.

Zimbabwe squad to play Sri Lanka:

Tatenda Taibu (captain), Dion Ebrahim, Vusi Sibanda, Elton Chigumbura, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Alester Maregwede, Mluleki Nkala, Waddington Mwayenga, Brendon Taylor, Douglas Hondo, Prosper Utseya, Tawanda Mpariwa, Edward Rainsford, Tinashe Panyangara.