Zimbabwe's rebels have abandoned their bitter struggle with the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU).

"My clients want to move on," the players' lawyer, Chris Venturas, toldthis news agency on Friday.

"They talked about it and decided it is time to disband and fly north. I think there is a very remote chance that they will play for Zimbabwe again."

Zimbabwe have been forced to pick a second-string team since April 2 when 15 white players made themselves unavailable over what they see as racially driven selection policies.

Their stand was sparked by Heath Streak's removal from the captaincy after he questioned the composition of the selection panel.

The inexperienced Zimbabwe team has since lost 10 consecutive matches to Sri Lanka and Australia and the dispute also led to last month's Test series with Australia being called off over concerns

about Zimbabwe's Test playing status.

The ZCU fired the players for the stand they took and the rebels asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) on May 20 to form a dispute resolution committee to arbitrate.

Venturas said his clients had yet to receive a response from the ICC. We gave the ICC seven days to get back to us and we haven't heard anything.

"We have to assume that nothing is happening, or even if it is it's too late for my clients. They want to move on."

The ICC's corporate affairs manager, Brendan McClements, told Reuters from London that the process had not moved forward because the ZCU was fighting the formation of the dispute resolution committee.

"A panel has not been formed at this stage because the ZCU is disputing whether that system has any jurisdiction," McClements said.

"We have said to the ZCU we think it does and the players have said to us they think it does. The ZCU do not concur and there is

additional legal advice being sought on that issue.

"That advice has gone to the players, but Chris is right in that a panel has not been convened at this time, primarily because the ZCU are fighting it and saying it wouldn'thave any authority."

Asked if the rebels' withdrawal from the fight ended the dispute resolution process, McClements said: "The next stage is to get the additional legal advice."

A statement signed by 13 of the rebels and released on Friday said they took their original action "in solidarity with our national captain, Heath Streak, who was unlawfully dismissed, as well as in protest at the unfair and discriminatory employment practices perpetrated against us by individuals of the

The rebels alleged that ZCU officials committed transgressions, including interfering with the selection process and making threats to try to ensure teams included more black players.

"It was our hope that meaningful dialogue and negotiation would address our problems with the ZCU, "the statement said.

"Long hours in meetings with them were spent trying to achieve our goal to safeguard the future of Zimbabwe cricket.

"For the record, our actions have never been racially or politically motivated. In fact, through our years of service and dedication we feel we have been an example of a successful and multi-racial team.