Zimbabwe players call off strike

The players have given Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) a 'three weeks ultimatum' to find a solution to the impasse which once again threatens the strife-torn country's Test status.

Zimbabwe cricketers called off their strike and gave the game's rulers three weeks to find a solution to the impasse which once again threatens the strife-torn country's Test status.

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Following a meeting with their representative Clive Field yesterday, the 37 players involved agreed to shelve their three-month stoppage until January 31.

That is to give the new interim committee of Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC), appointed Friday by the government's Sports and Recreation Committee (SRC), the opportunity to resolve their long running dispute over pay and conditions.

Field said the first reaction of the players to the government of Robert Mugabe taking control of cricket administration was to quit the game altogether, find other jobs or take their skills to other countries.

But after discussions he said they decided, for the sake of three weeks, to negotiate back pay, new contracts (which were due last September) and match fees due from home series against New Zealand and India.

"This was because the SRC gave the new ZC interim committee a deadline of January 31 to resolve all those issues. So now it is up to them," said Field.

"As the players have said many times before, they do actually want to play cricket for Zimbabwe but could not possibly do so in previous circumstances of intransigence."