The sacking of Heath Streak sparked the dispute

The ZCU says it has made a number of concessions designed to appease the group, who are demading Heath Streak's reinstatement as captain.

Chairman Peter Chingoka said: "The door remains open to the players to find a solution to the very serious problems we are currently facing."

He said the ZCU had agreed to reduce the selection panel from six to four.

Chingoka was in London on Tuesday to meet with England officials over the scheduled tour of Zimbabwe this October.

He added: "We have spent many hours in meetings talking to the players and their advisors on these matters so far.

THE ZCU'S CONCESSIONS Restructure the national selection panel, reducing selectors from six to four with two new members in Richie Kaschula, a former national player, and Walter Chawaguta, Zimbabwe's coach at recent Under-19 World Cup Pay 100% of the costs of running Zimbabwe Professional Cricketers Association for the first 12 months and 50% of costs thereafter Address issue of minimum wage for players

"The Board has made a number of what it regards as important concessions in a bid to find sensible and mutually acceptable solutions to the concerns raised."

The ZCU set a deadline of 8 May for the players to return - or be sacked.

"The current contractual position with the 15 players is that they have been given a 21-day period of notice to rectify their breaches of contract.

"If rectification is not made their contracts will be terminated.

"However, the course of action we would far prefer to follow is for them to resume playing and training duties while negotiations continue in good faith.

"If the combination of concessions already agreed, together with the results of further discussions still fail to find agreement, individual players would then have the option of not renewing their contracts when they expire at the end of August."

The group sent a statement to the ZCU on Friday, claiming Streak had been "unlawfully dismissed" and accusing officials of a "vindictive and high-handed" approach.

"We are patriotic Zimbabweans and are very honoured to play for our country," the statement adds.

"However, we cannot carry on being treated as we have been and tolerate the abuse we have been subjected to any longer."

Streak's replacement, 20-year-old Tatenda Taibu, led Zimbabwe for the first time in Wednesday's 12-run loss to Sri Lanka in the first one-dayer in Bulawayo.

The second-string team featured four debutants and one white player, Brendan Taylor.

The ZCU hit back at what it describes as a 'mischievous racist agenda' that implies there is a policy aimed at driving white players out of the game.

"Contrary to some media reports, the ZCU has no agenda to drive white players out of the game in Zimbabwe," Chingoka said.

"On the contrary, it has invested heavily in talented young white players like Sean Ervine, Andy Blignaut, Mark Vermeulen, Travis Friend, Gavin Ewing and many others.

"This is further underlined by the fact that six of the 14 players representing the country in the recent ICC Under-19 World Cup were young white players.

"And seven of the current intake of 16 Academy players are also white. I hope that these figures speak for themselves in condemning that particular suggestion."