Zimbabwe players end strike

Zimbabwe's players have decided to end their indefinite strike, less than 24 hours after the government appointed an interim board to run the game.

Clive Field, the players' representative, said that they had made the move in the hope that outstanding contractual and financial issues would be addressed by the new board. "The players have committed themselves to continuing until at least the end of the month in the light of what was made clear at the meeting yesterday that they should expect their contracts to be resolved by then. The guys don't feel for a second that it will be, but the feeling is that this is better way of keeping the pressure on than by just walking away.

"They've put their pockets in front of their principles in the hope that they can persevere and preserve their income."

Field also said that they were deeply disturbed by the comments made by the government's representative, Brigadier General Gibson Mashingaidze, that they would not mourn the loss of Zimbabwe's Test status were that to happen.

"We did not want to be drawn into his comments, but they are extremely disturbed that people could be willing to sacrifice the fabric of Zimbabwe cricket. The issue of Test status is a paramount one. They are keen to make it known that we have to preserve that status.

"The players are now waiting to see if they can salvage something from this new board," Field added. "We no longer have issues of government interference, because it's now the case that the government is in charge."