Olonga retires from international game

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Olonga retires from international game](http://uk.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2003/MAR/157306_REUTERS_15MAR2003.html)

EAST LONDON, South Africa, March 15 (Reuters) - Zimbabwe fast bowler Henry Olonga announced his retirement from international cricket on Saturday after his team’s final match in the World Cup.

Olonga, 26, was omitted from the Zimbabwe team for the final Super Six match against Sri Lanka. Zimbabwe, already eliminated from the tournament, lost by 74 runs.

In a statement Olonga said his decision had been a matter of personal conviction and added he believed it might be dangerous for him to return to Zimbabwe in the current political climate.

He also said he did not want to be seen to condone what he called human rights abuses in his country by continuing to play cricket for the national side.

Olonga and team mate Andy Flower made international headlines when they took to the field wearing black armbands “to mourn the death of democracy” in Zimbabwe for their first match of the World Cup in Harare.

Flower, Zimbabwe’s best batsman and one of the finest in the world, announced his retirement from the international stage on Friday night. The 34-year-old left-hander, who averaged more than 50 in test cricket, top-scored with 38 on Saturday in his final innings for his country.

“It is with great sadness that I am officially announcing my retirement from international cricket,” Olonga continued. "My continued involvement with the Zimbabwean team has become untenable.

"The stand I took earlier in the World Cup has undoubtedly had repercussions that have affected both my career and my personal life. I have received threatening e-mails which, I believe, make it dangerous for me to return to Zimbabwe.

"I was never under the illusion that my stand would have no consequences but I believe that one should have the courage of one’s convictions in life and do all one can to uphold them.

“I believe that if I were to continue to play for Zimbabwe in the midst of the prevailing crisis I would do so only by neglecting the voice of my conscience.”

In a statement on Saturday, Flower said it had been an honour and privilege to represent his country for the past 13 years.

“The decision had been a difficult and sad one to make,” he said. "However it is now time for my family and I to move on.

“Perhaps in the years to come, I will be able to play a role in the cricketing fortunes of Zimbabwe.”

A sad ending, the guy stood up for his beliefs and paid a heavy price. :frowning:

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He produced occasional brilliant spells. First black cricketer to represent Zimbabwe and a pretty handy exponent of reverse swing. He lost his place due to injuries and lack of for, otherwise his record could have been a better one... It was nice to see him bowl sometimes...

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Zimbabwe’s Olonga goes into hiding to dodge secret police
Zimbabwean fast bowler Henry Olonga, who announced his retirement from international cricket on Saturday, has gone into hiding to dodge Zimbabwe’s secret police.

Seven plainclothes officers from Zimbabwe’s secret police, believed to be from the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), arrived on Friday in East London, South Africa where Zimbabwe faced the Sri Lankans, The Sunday Telegraph reported.

Olonga “had been told the officers intended to ‘escort him home’, where a likely charge of treason awaited,” the newspaper said. The punishment for treason in Zimbabwe is death.

In mid-afternoon officers from the World Cup-appointed Close Protection Unit returned to the players’ hotel and packed all of Olonga’s personal possessions in case he was intercepted after the match, the paper said.

“He was pretty shaken but he seemed to be coping as well as anyone can in a situation like that,” a team-mate told The Sunday Telegraph after the match on Saturday which Zimbabwe lost by 74 runs.

“He sounded reasonably clear about what was going to happen, if it all went well, and was staying positive,” the source said.

England remains Olonga’s most likely final destination, as long as political asylum is granted, the paper said.

Earlier the Zimbabwean fast bowler made a retirement statement:

“I have been receiving threatening e-mails since the protests which I believe have made it dangerous for me to return to Zimbabwe,” Olonga, 26, said.

“It is with great sadness that I am officially announcing my retirement from international cricket,” the statement said.

Poor guys life is in danger, this Mugabe guy is an idiot.

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He was a very good bowler as far as Zimbabwean standards are concerned.His hair style was always very attractive.

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i heard something..
ZIMBABWE FAST BOWLER:konfused:…

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Please indicate your support for the bravest cricketer of the World

Olonga deserves the man of the tournament award for what he has risked to make a statement and make the world aware of what’s going on in Zimbabwe. So does Flower.

Please join me in expressing support to the bravest of them all.

Olonga evades cops, goes into exile

March 16, 2003 15:35 IST

Zimbabwe pace bowler Henry Olonga’s international career came to an end on Saturday night with a secret journey to a safe house in South Africa.

He will hide until he is able to start a new life in a different country – maybe in Kenya where he was born and where he has his family, or England, where he can take advantage of asylum.

Olonga’s last few hours as an international cricketer were spent nervously, lest there was a tap on his shoulder that could have threatened his life.

Seven plainclothes officers from Zimbabwe, believed to be from the Central Intelligence Organisation, arrived in East London on Friday and were entertained by World Cup organisers during the Zimbabwe-Sri Lanka tie on Saturday.

Their real purpose for being in the sleepy, coastal town was more sinister than watching their country’s team bow out of the World Cup, a report in The Sunday Telegraph said.

Olonga had received numerous threats during the last month, but this one was different. He had been told the officers intended to ‘escort him home’ where a likely charge of treason awaited.

The punishment for treason in Zimbabwe is death.

The drama began in the mid-afternoon when officers from the World Cup-appointed Close Protection Unit came to the players’ hotel and packed all of Olonga’s personal possession in case he was intercepted after the match.

Olonga appeared on the field to perform 12th man duties early in the afternoon to create the impression that everything was normal.

But things were far from normal despite Olonga’s impossibly courageous attempts to stay calm.

“He was pretty shaken, but he seemed to be coping as well as anyone can in a situation like that,” said a teammate after the match.

Olonga, along with Andy Flower, wore black armbands in their opening match of the tournament and issued a joint statement mourning the death of democracy in Zimbabwe, a gesture that earned worldwide praise and also the wrath of the Robert Mugabe regime.

Flower also quit international cricket on Saturday.

Olonga issued the following statement explaining his decision to bow out.

"It is with great sadness that I am officially announcing my retirement from international cricket. My continued involvement with the Zimbabwean team has become untenable for the following reasons:

"The stand I took earlier in the World Cup has undoubtedly had repercussions that have affected both my career and my personal life. I have received threatening emails, which, I believe, make it dangerous for me to return to Zimbabwe.

"I was never under the illusion that my stand would have no consequences, but I believe that one should have the courage of one’s convictions in life and do all one can to uphold them.

"I believe that if I were to continue to play for Zimbabwe in the midst of the prevailing crisis, I would only be neglecting the voice of my conscience.

"I would be condoning the grotesque human rights violations that have been perpetrated against my fellow countrymen.

“To my fellow Zimbabweans: The Zimbabwe we dream of must merely remain in our hearts. We must be strong, stand united and strive to give our children the brighter day in which they belong.”