Zimbabwe rebels agree to arbitration

Zimbabwe's rebel cricketers, some of whom are currently playing for the Red Lions in England, have accepted the ICC's proposal for their dispute with the Zimbabwe Cricket Union to be taken to arbitration. A three-man tribunal will now attempt to resolve the impasse between the two parties that began in April, and ended with nearly all of Zimbabwe's main players banned from representing the country.

The panel will have one representative chosen by the ZCU, another by the rebels, and a third selected by both parties. Clive Field, the manager for the Red Lions, said the players had accepted the plan and hoped that the matter would head in a positive direction. "From the players point of view we want this resolved as quickly as possible," he said. "We don't know when the arbitration will start but we hope the composition of the panel and their terms of reference can be decided quickly."

Heath Streak's criticism of team selection and certain selectors back in April set in motion a chain of events that plunged Zimbabwe cricket into crisis. Streak questioned the credentials of a couple of the selectors and asked for them to be removed from their posts. The board refused, and sacked him, initially claiming that he had resigned. Both parties to the dispute hardened their stance, leading to the eventual sacking of the rebels by the board.

After sitting on the sidelines for more than a month, the ICC stepped in. The result was Zimbabwe Tests for the rest of the year were postponed, though the team was permitted to play one-dayers.