Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland told a news conference on Wednesday there was little point in continuing with the tour if the matches lost their official backing.

"The Australian cricket team has gone to Zimbabwe to play Test and one-day cricket," Sutherland said.

"If we're not going to play that, then I'm not sure that it's appropriate for us to be there."

The status of the series, due to start on Saturday, was already under threat when Zimbabwe's leading white players went on strike, accusing the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) of allowing politicians to dictate the make-up of the side.

However, the crisis deepened after the ZCU snubbed International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Malcolm Speed. He had been invited to address the ZCU board in Harare but the invitation was withdrawn at the last minute.

The ICC responded by calling an emergency meeting on Friday to consider stripping the Australia-Zimbabwe matches of their Test status. Australia is among the 10 member nations that will vote on the issue.

Former Australian captain Greg Chappell said he supported the proposal to strip the matches of their Test status.

"I don't think anyone in cricket would be happy with that situation and we can't afford to have the standard of Test cricket denigrated from within," Chappell said.

“I think that's something that's got to be fiercely protected by the game of cricket."

The two-Test tour also appeared to be in doubt Wednesday after Zimbabwe's senior players refused to end their strike.

The ZCU had expected them to call off their strike after an intensive sequence of meetings over the last 36 hours.

But Grant Flower, one of the rebels, said: "No, we are not available for the Tests, but we might be for the one-day international series. There's a chance that might happen."

Flower said they had submitted "certain proposals" to the ZCU board of directors.

The rebels are also protesting the decision not to reinstate deposed captain Heath Streak.

The ZCU had planned to name its side to play Australia on Thursday.

Zimbabwe coach Geoff Marsh, whose young side was beaten by an innings and 254 runs by Sri Lanka in the second Test in Bulawayo this week, said he had doubts whether the side could keep taking such thrashings.

Marsh, who has not renewed his contract and will resign in September, was unsure if the coming Tests should go ahead.