Crisis grows as Zimbabwe face more player defections

It appears that other Zimbabwe cricketers might be about to follow Tatenda Taibu's lead and quit the national team and are due to meet on Monday to discuss following his lead.

A fortnight ago 74 players signed a petition demanding the resignation of Peter Chingoka, the ZC chairman, and Ozias Bvute, the MD. The board has done little since then, and when Taibu met with Chingoka earlier this week, it became clear to him that the board was not planning to address those demands in the near future.

Some of the national side met with Clive Field, the players' representative, yesterday. "We discussed at some length the Taibu development and where it left them all personally," he said. "We decided they should go away for the weekend, consider their own feelings and talk to their families. We won't be making a collective decision on Monday. That wouldn't be relevant. Each man must make his own stay-or-go decision. There is a lot of concern about their own careers and also the team situation.

"Taibu was a quality batsman and wicketkeeper and undoubtedly inspirational as captain. His departure is a big setback for the others. He will leave a considerable void. In addition, many of the other national players have no other job and they are worried."

Zimbabwe has lost a stream of their best players since the 2003 World Cup. Andy Flower and Henry Olonga both quit after the tournament, Sean Ervine, Grant Flower and Ray Price are all now playing in England, and in the last three months Craig Wishart, Stuart Carlisle and Heath Streak have turned their backs on the side.

It is thought that some of those, particularly Streak and Taibu, would be prepared to return to the national colours, other commitments permitting, were the domestic mess to be sorted.

A dossier compiled by the provincial chairmen detailing a large number of allegations against the board is understood to have been delivered to the ICC, although Cricinfo is still waiting for a response to a query as to whether this will alter the ICC's approach to the growing crisis.

Some board officials have been questioned by representatives of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe over allegations that the country's foreign exchange rules have been broken. Those investigations are said to be ongoing.