HARARE, May 10: The Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) has fired former captain Heath Streak and 14 other rebel players who went into dispute with the board last month. A ZCU statement on Monday said the players had violated a 21-day breach clause in their contracts by not returning to work by May 7.

The decision was taken at a ZCU board meeting earlier in the day. The dispute started on April 2 when Streak's tenure as Zimbabwe captain ended after he questioned the composition of the selection panel.

Fourteen other white players allied themselves with Streak, and the group demanded arbitration on his removal from the captaincy, the composition of the selection panel and alleged poor conduct of ZCU officials.

The ZCU's decision to fire the players reached them while they were meeting with their lawyer to draft their agreement to the board's offer of mediation to resolve the dispute. -Reuters