I was ready to quit three weeks ago and decided not to because I want to give it a fair crack Tatenda Taibu

Leading players and six provincial bodies have called on Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Peter Chingoka to resign.

And they also want managing director Osias Bvute suspended from his post.

"If we don't do anything, cricket in Zimbabwe will die within a year. There's no doubt about that and everyone knows it," Taibu told the BBC.

"Everything that has gone wrong points to Osias Bvute and Peter Chingoka," he added.

Zimbabwe cricket has been in a near permanent crisis since Heath Streak was sacked as national team captain for criticising selection policy in April 2004.

It led to a boycott of international cricket by more than a dozen white players, some of whom did not return to the fold even after Streak ended his dispute in February of this year.

The national team's results have been poor, leading to the sacking of coach Phil Simmons in August.

But even that did not go smoothly, with the former West Indies all-rounder currently involved in legal action against Zimbabwe Cricket.

He claims he was not given any written notice of his contract being terminated and that Bvute did not, in any event, have the power to sack him because he is not one of ZC's board of directors.

Chingoka has faced numerous crises during his period in office

A number of players, including Streak, Stuart Carlisle and Craig Wishart have, meanwhile, retired from international cricket because because they were unhappy about pay and conditions and the way the game is being run.

The provinces have accused Chingoka of a "despicable attempt to cloud the real issues".

In their letter, they say: "Your avoidance of our queries only strengthens our belief that you have something to hide.

"As a long-serving board member and chairman you should have perceived and addressed areas of concern before they reached the point where they are a threat to the very existence of Zimbabwe cricket."

The letter adds: "We believe ZC faces a crisis of legitimacy which calls into question its leadership and transparency as the custodians of cricket."

Zimbabwe's fortunes on the field have declined sharply.

In 2005, the national team has lost seven of the eight Tests they have played, drawing one, and it is a similar story in one-day cricket with two wins and 10 defeats from 12 games.

In a statement issued on their behalf, the players said they were "tired of being threatened by ZC".

They added: "In coming forward in this way, we realise we risk our careers, especially as in the past ZC have shown they will not hesitate to bully players.

"But we have no choice but to speak out."

Chingoka has yet to give a response to the allegations made against him.