The crisis started when Heath Streak was stripped of the captaincy

Zimbabwe's sacked rebel players have called on the International Cricket Council to arbitrate on their ongoing dispute with the cricket board.

The players were sacked for a second time on Friday after the Zimbabwe Cricket Union called off the Test series against Australia.

"We have referred the matter to the ICC and have asked them to form a dispute committee," lawyer Chris Venturas said.

"We tried to resolve it domestically, but have run out of room to do that."

He added: "The impasse has got to such a state that some way through it really has to be found.

"However, I don't expect the ZCU will co-operate or have anything to do with it, in which case it will all have to end up in court."

ICC president Ehsan Mani confirmed the ruling body had received the request.

"We received from the lawyer of the 15 players a request to submit a dispute to the ICC dispute process," Mani said.

"Should this matter go before a hearing under the ICC Disputes Resolution process, given the nature and complexity of this dispute, I would think that it would be several months before this process would be finalised.

"At this time, the ZCU is not of the same view. It believes that a disputes-resolution committee does not have any jurisdiction over this dispute.

"However, the players have advised the ICC that they wish to take this dispute to this forum."

If formed, the disputes-resolution committee would be independent of the ICC and its findings would be binding.

The rebel players were not considered for the three-match one-day series against Australia, which was brought forward after the Test series was scrapped.