Thirteen of Zimbabwe's most experienced players including former captain Heath Streak have refused to play in the home series against Sri Lanka starting next week.

The players said they took the decision after a row over selection.

They said they had been told by the Zimbabwe Cricket Union that former Test bowler Mpumelelo Mbangwa would be included in a new selection panel, as the players had suggested, only to discover that Mbangwa had not yet been approached.

The latest twist of a saga which began with Streak's departure as team captain means Zimbabwe, already struggling to compete at Test and one-day level, could face the Sri Lankans with a second-string side.

"They told us last night that Mbangwa was a selector, they told us that he had phoned him and confirmed it," a player told Reuters from Harare.

"This morning Mbangwa told someone that he discovered he was a selector on the Internet last night."

Mbangwa, who now works as a television commentator, declined to comment on Thursday, while the ZCU said he had declined the position.

Zimbabwe are scheduled to play five one-dayers, the first next Tuesday, and two Tests, against Sri Lanka.

The affair began when the ZCU announced Streak, a world-class bowler and the mainstay of the side, had quit all cricket after the Board rejected an ultimatum over the composition of the selectors' panel. Streak's father later denied his son had resigned.

The 13 players are Streak, Stuart Carlisle, Grant Flower, Craig Wishart, Andy Blignaut, Raymond Price, Gary Brent, Sean Ervine, Travis Friend, Barney Rogers, Trevor Gripper, Richard Sims and Neil Ferreria.

The ZCU is scheduled to announce the squad to play against Sri Lanka later on Thursday.