HARARE, May 19: The threat to Zimbabwe's home Test series against Australia grew on Wednesday after a group of leading 'rebel' players said they did not feel "physically or mentally fit enough" to take part.

The players, involved in a bitter dispute with the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) over team selection, said they would make themselves available, however, for a later one-day series against the world champions. Their proposal has been sent to the ZCU.

"In terms of the proposal, the players will go back to practice and will make themselves available for the one-dayers against Australia, but they don't feel they are physically or mentally fit enough to play in the Test matches," Chris Venturas, the rebels' lawyer, said.

That decision puts further doubt on this month's Tests matches going ahead. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is to hold an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss whether to strip the two-match series of its Test status, just 24 hours before the start of the first game in Harare.

The ICC fears Zimbabwe, without its rebels, will field a severely weakened side unworthy of playing at the highest level. Australia suggested earlier on Wednesday that they would return home if the series was de-classified.

Fifteen of Zimbabwe's leading white players refused to play last month after accusing their selectors of allowing politicians to dictate the make-up of the side 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 was subsequently thrashed by Sri Lanka 5-0 in a one-day series and 2-0 in the Tests.

Two Test players in neighbouring South Africa backed the ICC line on Wednesday. "Zimbabwe have had their problems, but if you don't put our best team on the field you are taking the mickey out of Test cricket," wicket-keeper Mark Boucher said from Cape Town.

All-rounder Jacques Kallis added: "You want proper Tests, you don't want to play against second-rate sides." -Reuters