A quota of coloured players in the Zimbabwean cricket side had been a bone of contention for years, former captain Andy Flower said.

Flower, in exile from Zimbabwe following his protest against the Mugabe regime during the World Cup, has arrived in Adelaide to play for South Australia this summer.

Zimbabwean players and officials this week denied a coloured quota within the team to play Australia in the first Test in Perth, saying the side was chosen on merit.

The issue was raised by Flower's former team-mate, batsman Murray Goodwin, who said black cricketers got a "free ride" into the Zimbabwe team.

"That has been a bone of contention for a number of years," Flower said.

"I haven't been involved in the Zimbabwe set up for a while but that has certainly been an issue over the years.

"Some believe it's the right way forward and some disagree.

"There are various schools of thought and there has certainly been an element of it over the years, and probably is now."

Flower said wicketkeeper and vice-captain Tatenda Taibu, who played Australia, and fast bowler Douglas Hondo, who missed through injury, deserved their positions.

"The guys that are there at the moment are (good enough)," he said.

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