Harare: Zimbabwe's Andy Flower and Henry Olonga were hailed as national heroes on Tuesday for the powerful public protest they staged against president Robert Mugabe during their opening World Cup clash with Namibia.

The country's leading Opposition, the Movement for Democratic Change applauded the action taken by Olonga and Flower who donned black armbands and issued a statement condemning the worsening conditions in the strife-torn nation.

"Olonga and Flower are our heroes and not only on the cricket field because they are the voices of the voiceless as they have movingly spoken about the deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe," said MDC spokesman Paul Temba Nyathi.

"These brave young men have told the world that all is not well in Zimbabwe though cricket matches are going ahead."

Copyright AFP 2001

Extras:
Zimbabwe Cricket Union denies ban of Flower, Olonga