 |  It's just become a farce, to be honest |
Former Zimbabwe batsman Alistair Campbell has criticised cricket officials for allowing a dispute with players to get out of hand. There have been claims that up to 14 Zimbabwe players will quit in support of sacked captain Heath Streak.
"For it even to have got to this stage without intervention and some common sense, that's the saddest part for me.
"Whether they do resign or don't resign, the damage has been done," Campbell told BBC Sport.
"You've got Sri Lanka [on tour] two weeks away and even if things do get resolved now, how are you supposed to focus people to get on and do the best job they can after all of this?"
He added: "Instead of going to the press, it could have been dealt with in a proper man to man fashion.
"There's too many egos, too many power struggles and agendas, involved in our cricket at the moment.
"I just see a simple solution, but maybe it's not that simple."
Former team-mate Murray Goodwin believes Zimbabwe is on the brink of collapse as a credible international cricket team.
"There isn't enough depth in Zimbabwe cricket to cope with the loss of 14 players and still compete effectively at international level," said Goodwin, who now plays county cricket in England for Sussex.
Streak was sacked last week when he questioned the composition of the Zimbabwe Cricket Board's five-man selection panel, with 20-year-old wicket-keeper Tatenda Taibu promoted to lead the side against Sri Lanka.
He believes the panel should be made up of people who have played cricket at the highest level and has vowed not to play for the team again until the issue is sorted out.
A further problem has arisen after Ozias Bvute, who is in charge of racial quotas for the ZCU, said he had sacked 10 white players for opting out of Logan Cup matches, which began on Friday.
They had been given permission to miss the games by ZCU chief executive Vince Hogg, but he was overruled by the board.
It resulted in Streak's province, Mashonaland, sending out an all-black team for the first time.
Streak and about 10 Zimbabwe players are set to meet with ZCU officials again on Tuesday to discuss the crisis.
"I have to say I fear the worst," Hogg commented.
MMIX
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