Heath Streak

London: Zimbabwe’s senior cricket administrator has said Heath Streak will not regain the captaincy as part of a peace deal with the country’s rebel white players.

Re-instating Streak as captain has been a key demand of the rebels ever since the pace bowler sparked the dispute by complaining about the composition of the selection panel.

But Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) chairman Peter Chingoka said on Tuesday. “There is no reverse gear on the captaincy. The captaincy decision is set in stone.”

ZCU officials have always insisted that Streak resigned although the player’s father — who was once imprisoned by President Robert Mugabe’s security services — said his son had been sacked.

In Streak’s absence, 20-year-old wicket-keeper Tatenda Taibu became the first black cricketer and the youngest ever international captain when he led Zimbabwe in Tuesday’s ODI against Sri Lanka in Bulawayo.

Streak was unhappy with the lack of cricket experience among some members of the selection panel and called for changes, his comments coming against a backdrop of claims the team was being chosen on the basis of a racial quota system rather than ability.

Chingoka showed a copy of a letter he said Streak had faxed to the ZCU on March 25 in which the fast bowler threatened to resign if his conditions were not met.

The letter also warned of other consequences if the ZCU did not accept these conditions including player resignations, tour cancellations by Australia and England and an ICC investigation into Streak’s allegations.

Chingoka said no cricket authority in the world would accept restrictions on its authority to select a captain of its choice.

The white players have been given May 8 deadline to resume playing or otherwise risk termination of their contracts. But Chingoka stressed he would be happy to have the rebels, including Streak, back on board.

“Contrary to some reports, the ZCU has no agenda to drive white players out of the game in Zimbabwe.”