Email Us Forum Mail Article Print Article

Rebels withdraw from Tests

Friday, May 21 2004

Five rebels players including former captain Heath Streak, who have been named in Zimbabwean squad for the first Test against Australia starting Saturday, have withdrawn from the Test series.

Earlier today the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) selectors had named Streak, Andy Blignaut, Trevor Gripper, Stuart Carlisle and Ray Price in the squad to play the Aussies. However, Chris Venturas, the rebels' lawyer has said that neither of the five will play.

The rebels had announced a couple of days back that they are now looking to careers outside cricket, and do not wish to have any further discussions with the ZCU. However, Grant Flower, one of the rebels, had said yesterday that they would return to the One-Day International side, as a gesture of good faith, after finally the International Cricket Council (ICC) intervened to resolve the crisis. However, he made it clear that they shouldn't be considered for the Test squad, at least for the time being, because they are not mentally prepared for that.

Meanwhile, the ICC will hold a tele-conference on Friday to debate on what their next step should be, after the ZCU refused to hold a meeting with chief executive Malcom Speed.

One of the decisions the ICC is contemplating, if the ZCU can't come up with their strongest side, is to strip the series against Australia off the Test status. However, the Aussies have made it clear that they do not wish to engage in an unofficial series, and thus would head back home.

Posted by Sudeep