10 April 2004	Saturday	19 Safar 1425

HARARE, April 9: Axed captain Heath Streak has threatened to sue the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) for what he sees as his unjustified removal from the national captaincy.

After failing to get ZCU chairman Peter Chingoka and chief executive Vincent Hogg to reinstall him at a meeting on Thursday, Streak said before returning to his Bulawayo farm on Friday he would consult his lawyers.

The ZCU directors have insisted that Streak is out and Tatenda Taibu will replace him. "Legal action remains an option for me and I'm going to carefully consider that," Streak said.

"I shall also be considering their offer for me to continue simply as a player. But if I do so, that will not have a bearing on my claim to continue as captain." He added that he was disappointed "to see so much anger by volatile people in authority" over the affair.

The row was triggered when Streak wanted the removal of two selectors, one who had not played first-class cricket and the other who has been doing TV commentaries. This would mean one black and one of Asian descent standing down, thus leaving him open to allegations of racism, which have been widespread in the local press.

"My dedication to Zimbabwe cricket and what is best for it over the years just cannot be doubted" he said. "I knew the selection issue was a touchy one and has been for some years. And it really does need to be addressed."

Zimbabwe is due to host a Test and One-day International tour by Sri Lanka, which begins in Bulawayo on April 20. Meanwhile, the possibility of a player boycott in support of deposed Zimbabwe national cricket captain Heath Streak grew on Friday when several senior cricketers failed to show up for a first class domestic fixture in the central town of Kwekwe.

They were due to play for Mashonaland against Midlands in a Logan Cup fixture. This is the premier domestic competition and always features Test cricketers as Mashonaland is the biggest and the strongest province.

Zimbabwe Cricket Union chief executive Vincent Hogg confirmed "three or four" didn't turn up and his interpretation was that "this might mean a boycott." He added: "Whatever it means, we shall still field a strong side against Sri Lanka when they begin their tour here next month."

Efforts to reach any member of the Mashonaland team or an official at Kwekwe proved fruitless. Several telephone messages were not returned. The extend of "player-power" in support of Streak will become clearer on Tuesday when senior batsman Grant Flower and fast bowler Andy Blignaut are due to revert to the ZCU following a lengthy meeting with Hogg and chairman Peter Chingoka on Thursday and after consulting with colleagues about a possible joint protest.

They had sat by Streak and lawyer Chris Ventura for five and a half hours while efforts to solve the impasse over Streak's removal as captain proved impossible. -AFP