HARARE, Feb 8: Sixteen Zimbabwe players have signed contracts that make them available for selection, Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) said. Twenty-two players were offered contracts for the 2005-06 season. Wednesday’s announcement ends a strike over unpaid wages that Zimbabwe’s players began on Dec 22.

All-rounder Andy Blignaut, a strong candidate to take over the vacant captaincy, is among the 16, a statement said.

Opener Stuart Matsikenyeri has declined the offer of a contract. Batsman Hamilton Masakadza, a student at Free State University in South Africa, has asked for study leave and is available for selection on a tour-by-tour basis.

“We are happy that the technical and players’ welfare committee has made so much progress,” the release quoted ZC managing director Ozias Bvute as saying.

“We need to start serious preparations for the tour by Kenya later this month.”

Kenya are scheduled to play three One-day Internationals in Zimbabwe which last month suspended their Test status until early 2007.

The players who have signed contracts are Blignaut, Elton Chigumbura, Charles Coventry, Keith Dabengwa, Terrence Duffin, Anthony Ireland, Blessing Mahwire, Bernard Mlambo, Christopher Mpofu, Tawanda Mupariwa, Allan Mwayenga, Waddington Mwayenga, Edward Rainsford, Vusumuzi Sibanda, Gregory Strydom and Prosper Utseya.

Mlambo, Allan Mwayenga and Strydom have not played either a Test or a One-day International.

Three of the players who have been offered contracts, Sean Williams, Chamunorwa Chibhabha and Graeme Cremer, are playing for Zimbabwe in the under-19 World Cup.

Gavin Ewing, Douglas Hondo, Mluleki Nkala and Tinashe Panyangara “will be considered for contracts after medical assessment”, the release said.

The Zimbabwe government took control of cricket on Jan 6 in the wake of the player strike and investigations into allegations of unsound foreign exchange practices by ZC.—Reuters