Zimbabwe's cricket fans will have to wait until 2005 before they see their team in white flannels again following the ICC's decision to suspend all of the country's Test matches.

Tatenda Taibu of Zimbabwe

Of the four Tests Zimbabwe were scheduled to play in the remainder of 2004, two were in Pakistan in October, while the other two were at home to England in November.

Whether England will go ahead with their tour remains to be seen, but should they proceed they will only play one-day internationals. Zimbabwe will also have to decided on going to Pakistan as well.

Zimbabwe's Test status was under the spotlight at an emergency meeting in Dubai on Thursday, where officials from Zimbabwe, Australia, India and South Africa met to discuss the current crisis in the country.

Following the sacking of former national team captain Heath Streak and 14 other rebel players by the Zimbabwe Cricket Union, the national side found itself forced to field a team consisting mostly of teenagers in their recent home series against Sri Lanka and three one-dayers against Australia.

The players dispute also led to a Test series against Australia being cancelled, after it was determined that the matches would not be awarded Test status.

Speaking after the suspension, International Cricket Council president Ehsan Mani's was quick to point out that the decision was only a temporaty one.

"There is no simple answer to these issues," Mani commented to AFP.

"Zimbabwe will continue to play Test matches according to the ICC's 10-year programme from January 2005 onwards."