Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) said in a statement the fire on Tuesday night had destroyed computers, office files and video equipment after the roof of the two-storey building caved in.

"Also burnt was the playing kit and equipment for the national team that is in camp for the tour of Bangladesh later this month," the association said adding that the fire could be an act of arson.

An AFP correspondent saw charred cricket balls and remnants of computers, documents and furniture among the debris while academy staff were dousing smouldering grass.

The fire came a day after a mysterious fire broke out in the ZC boardroom at the main cricket arena, the Harare Sports Club. Curtains and carpets went up in flames before municipal firefighters arrived.

"The coincidence is just too much that we can have the fires on consecutive days on ZC premises," said ZC president Ozias Bvute.

"Investigations are under way and if these fires are acts of arson, then we are confident that the police will apprehend the person or people behind them."

Bvute, an ally of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, has stirred widespread controversy in his time at the helm of the ZC amid allegations that he has been interfering in team selection and the adminstration of the local boards.

The incident is the latest blow to Zimbabwe cricket which has been rocked by a string of crises since co-hosting the 2003 World Cup with South Africa and Kenya.

Henry Olonga, Zimbabwe's first black international cricketer, and his white compatriot Andy Flower, the country's leading batsman, took to the field for a match wearing black armbands "to mourn the death of democracy" in Zimbabwe.

Since then, the team have lost their Test match status while other top players such as captain Heath Streak have quit the team.