Harare: Twelve dissident Zimbabwe cricketers will cancel their contracts with the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) on Friday, if the union rejects or ignores their demands submitted to it in a letter earlier this week, Grant Flower said on Thursday.

A 21-day ultimatum to the players by the ZCU to return to duties or “face action” is due to expire on Friday, and it appears that the players are pre-empting any disciplinary measure.

If the 12 players carry out their threat, it will bring to an end the international careers of Grant Flower, former captain Heath Streak, Andy Blignaut, Craig Wishart and Ray Price, as well as several promising young players such as Trevor Gripper and Sean Ervine. Most of them will be writing off the prospect of at least 10 years in Test and international cricket and will have to find new careers, either outside the sport or in another country.

ZCU chief executive Vincent Hogg declined to comment. The ZCU has maintained throughout the month-long dispute that the players are employees and cannot cancel their contracts.

Flower, meanwhile, said he was not prepared to comment on the ICC statement issued in London which condemned the dissident players for “taking a high-risk approach”. (AP)