Durban: Zimbabwe cricket was thrown into disarray Thursday when the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) was forced to select a second-string squad to take on Sri Lanka next week after a players’ rebellion.

The ZCU announced a 14-man squad after 13 leading players, including former captain Heath Streak, refused to play in the one-day and Test series after a row over selection.

Only four of the selected squad, captained by 20-year-old wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu, played in Zimbabwe’s last Test and one-day side against Bangladesh in February and March.

The rebel players, all white, announced their boycott earlier Thursday while demanding that Streak be reinstated, one selector be sacked and that the board apologise for a series of “transgressions”.

In a letter, they claimed there had been “threats of boycott, pitch invasions and digging up of the pitch” by at least one board official if more black players were not selected. They also demanded that Max Ebrahim be removed as a selector, arguing he had not coached or played at first-class level.

Zimbabwe, already struggling to compete at the top level, are scheduled to play five one-dayers, the first next Tuesday in Bulawayo, and two Tests against Sri Lanka.

The ZCU has championed a policy of trying to select up to five black or coloured players in its international sides to help promote the game in the country.

The players’ rebellion was sparked by a ZCU announcement earlier this month that Streak, a world-class bowler and the mainstay of the side, had quit all cricket.

The board said he resigned after the board rejected an ultimatum over the composition of the selectors’ panel. Streak’s father, however, denied his son had resigned.

The team lost Andy Flower and Henry Olonga after last year’s World Cup, protesting against the “death of democracy”. Alistair Campbell and Guy Whittall retired soon after.

The last 13 rebels are Streak, Stuart Carlisle, Grant Flower — Andy’s brother — Craig Wishart, Andy Blignaut, Raymond Price, Gary Brent, Sean Ervine, Travis Friend, Barney Rogers, Trevor Gripper, Richard Sims and Neil Ferreria.

Taibu will become the youngest captain in Test history when he leads Zimbabwe against Sri Lanka in the first Test next month.

THE SQUAD

Tatenda Taibu (captain), Dion Ebrahim, Vusi Sibanda, Elton Chigumbura, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Alester Maregwede, Mluleki Nkala, Waddington Mwayenga, Brendon Taylor, Douglas Hondo, Prosper Utseya, Tawanda Mpariwa, Edward Rainsford, Tinashe Panyangara.