Zimbabwe's domestic season, due to start this weekend, has been postponed for logistical reasons and will now begin later this week. Two matches of the Logan Cup, Zimbabwe's first-class competition, were due to start on Sunday but will now, according to Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC), get underway later this week.

Zimbabwe Premier League games - 40-over matches that form part of a club competition - were due to start Saturday but have also been moved back. "We regret to announce that unforeseen logistical challenges have forced us to postpone both ZPL and Logan Cup fixtures that were scheduled for this weekend," the board told ESPNcricinfo in a statement. "We are, however, confident action will finally get underway this coming week."

Though ZC did not give a date, there were suggestions that the season may begin from December 15. One source close to the players confirmed they were informed of the decision via email and that the two matches, which were due to start on December 11 will now start on December 15.

The statement came less than a week after ZC announced a bumper domestic season to run from December until August. The first-class competition is due to feature 12 rounds - each team plays the other four times - and is seen as crucial to keeping Zimbabwe's hopes of being competitive in Test cricket alive.

On Tuesday, a day after the announcement of the new season, players from two of the four provincial sides - the Eagles and the Mountaineers - refused to train in protest over unpaid salaries. Although contracts have been issued, provincial players have not been paid for November and were told to expect payment by next Friday, December 16. Nationally contracted players and administrative staff have been paid.