Zimbabwe's home series with world champions Australia could be stripped of its Test status on Friday in an International Cricket Council (ICC) emergency teleconference.
The 10 voting members of the sport's governing body will take part in the teleconference, starting at 1130 GMT, in the wake of the player rebellion that has rocked Zimbabwean cricket. The result is expected to be announced at 1420 GMT.
Seven of the 10 votes on the executive board are needed to for the series to lose its Test status and such an unprecedented outcome looks set to prompt the Australians to return home. The first Test is due to start on Saturday.
The conference was called soon after the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) snubbed ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed by inviting him to address them in Harare on Monday before withdrawing the invitation at the last minute.
Zimbabwe cricket has been in turmoil since 15 of their leading white players refused to play last month. They accused the Zimbabwe board of allowing politicians to dictate the make-up of the team and of rushing young black players into the side before they were ready.
The ZCU, which follows a policy of promoting black players to reflect the country's population, first offered to negotiate but then lost patience and sacked the players.
It fielded a young, largely black side which has been thrashed by Sri Lanka 5-0 in a one-day series and 2-0 in the Tests.
No series has been declassified before although a match between South Africa and India in November 2001 was not recognised by the ICC when the sides sacked match referee Mike Denness without the governing body's approval.
