19 May 2004	Wednesday	28 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1425

LONDON, May 18: The International Cricket Council (ICC) will decide on Friday whether to strip the upcoming series between Zimbabwe and world champions Australia of its Test status.

The executive board of the sport's governing body will take part in a teleconference to discuss the issue, when Zimbabwe will argue that the two matches should still be recognised as Tests.

An ICC statement on Tuesday said the meeting would begin at 1130 GMT, adding that it followed weeks of behind-the-scenes talks and the "ZCU's refusal to defer these matches as proposed by the ICC and agreed by Cricket Australia".

The status of the series came under threat after a player rebellion left Zimbabwe with a severely weakened side unable to compete at the top level. Fifteen of Zimbabwe's leading white players refused to play for the national side last month after accusing the board of allowing politicians to dictate the make-up of the side.

As the row became more bitter the ZCU responded by sacking the players and fielding a young and largely black side which was subsequently thrashed by Sri Lanka in a one-day and test series.

The first Test against world champions Australia in Harare starts on Saturday with the second in Bulawayo beginning on May 29. "The decision by the ZCU to withdraw its invitation to Malcolm Speed was unfortunate," ICC president Ehsan Mani said in the statement.

The crisis was sparked last month when the Zimbabwe board announced Heath Streak, one of the few world-class players in the team, had resigned as captain and retired from all cricket after complaining about the selection panel.

Streak responded through his father by denying he had retired. Earlier, ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed, invited to Harare to address the ZCU board, was heading back to London 24 hours later after it appeared to change its mind and refused to allow him into a meeting.

"After inviting him to Zimbabwe, the ZCU decided they wouldn't meet with Malcolm Speed," ICC spokesman Brendan McClements said on Tuesday. Zimbabwe, whose board favours promoting black players to make the national side more representative of the country's population, are due to host world champions Australia later this month.

Their former captain Steve Waugh has said such a one-sided contest would be "pretty close to a waste of time". McClements said Speed had spoken to ZCU chairman Peter Chingoka and managing director Vince Hogg personally before departing, telling them they needed to resolve the situation "as a matter of urgency".

Chingoka, however, said: "There's nothing to report. "I met with him with Vince Hogg. It was an opportunity to update each other on developments on various matters." -Agencies