Zimbabwe captain Tatenda Taibu cut all ties with cricket in his home country on Thursday.

"I've resigned from Zimbabwe cricket as a whole," Taibu told Reuters from Harare on Thursday.

"I've had problems with the way Zimbabwe cricket is being run for the past few years," said the 22-year-old, the youngest captain in Test history when he took over in May 2004.

"That's probably 80 percent of the reason for my decision, the other 20 percent is the way the contracts have been dealt with."

He added: "My wife has been disturbed by the situation and we have a three-week old baby. I only left because of her."

Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) offered contracts in August that were heavily based on incentives and incorporated much smaller basic salaries than the players had been paid in the past.

In a media statement on Thursday, ZC reacted to Taibu's decision with "surprise" and said he had been motivated by money.

"His requirements included a net figure of 262 million Zimbabwe dollars ($3,800) a month, plus match fees and other perks," the statement said.

CLEAR MESSAGE

Clive Field, the Zimbabwe Professional Cricketers' Association player representative, said: "Financial considerations are important to any player, but I think if that was the only issue Taibu might have been inclined to continue and fight for what he felt he was worth.

"I got the clear message from him that, with other issues and allegations swirling about, he's had enough."

Taibu took over after former captain Heath Streak was sacked in April 2004. Other leading white players refused to play for Zimbabwe in protest at Streak's treatment and ZC's selection policies and the weakened team was stripped of Test status.

Taibu played 24 Tests for Zimbabwe and captained them in 10.

He said on Thursday: "I remember going on my first tour to the West Indies in 2000 and straight from there to England and saying in one of my first interviews as a cricketer that I wanted to play cricket for my country for 20 years.

"To have this come along and destroy that dream is very sad."

Taibu hopes to continue his career in England. "I've got a few friends in England and (former Zimbabwe coach) Phil Simmons is trying to organise something for me," he said.

Simmons said: "This is one of the saddest days in the history of Zimbabwe cricket. He was top of the line to deal with as a player and a captain."

Zimbabwe's team problems have affected their performance on the field where they have crashed to defeat by an innings in seven of their last 10 Tests.