22 May 2004	Saturday	02 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

HARARE, May 21: Zimbabwe have scrapped their two-Test series with Australia but will play three One Day Internationals next week. But they are unlikely to play the Tests for at least four years.

None of the striking white players, whose conflict with the Zimbabwe Cricket union has plunged the game into turmoil, will play in the ODIs which will be played in Harare on May 25, 27 and 29.

"They had wanted five one-day matches, but we believed that would serve no useful purpose," said Bob Merriman, chairman of the Australian Board, said. "The Tests will be played on dates to be fixed, but it will take at least four years to re-arrange them into the ICC programme.

"We are really sorry and disappointed about this, but it was not really in our hands." The tour to Zimbabwe was originally planned for 2002 but postponed to 2004 for security reasons.

Merriman declined to comment on whether Zimbabwe should be expelled from Test cricket because of its problems. He also had nothing to say about the standard of the Zimbabwe team they will be facing.

This will essentially be the same side that was hammered by an innings and 240 runs and by an innings and 254 runs at the hands of the Sri Lankans who also won the One Day series 5-0.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting said the players were frustrated. Ponting said the players had been warned Thursday not to walk the streets of Harare following a demonstration against a white MP who had a physical confrontation with a government minister in the House of Parliament on Wednesday.

"We know its okay to go and play golf as a group and that's what we are off to do now that our training session has been cancelled," Glenn McGrath adde. Merriman said that to play the Tests would have "done more damage to cricket here than not playing them at all".

He hoped Zimbabwe could now sort out its problems with players. However, such is the depth of hostility on both sides that it might take months. The rebel Zimbabwe players have all been sacked again, with immediate effect.

Their representative Chris Venturas said: "The ZCU also wants their cars and cell phones back right away. "I have notified the International Cricket Council about this and asked them to intervene."

The Australian management agreed to stay for the ODIs after meeting Zimbabwe Cricket Union chairman Peter Chingoka and chief executive Vincent Hogg. The International Cricket Council in London was notified and cancelled a planned teleconference vote on whether to strip the matches of Test status.

Zimbabwe cricket has been ripped apart by a strike by 15 senior players protesting against the ZCU's selection policies, the make-up of the selection panel and the decision not to reinstate deposed captain Heath Streak.

Five striking white players - Streak, Stuart Carlisle, Andy Blignaut, Ray price and Trevor Gripper - were named in the 18-man Zimbabwe squad on Wednesday. But they turned the offer down because they had not been given a promised letter stating that legal action against them was being withdrawn. -AFP