Zimbabwe bowler expelled from club for protest

Zimbabwe fast bowler Henry Olonga has been expelled from his domestic cricket club following his political protest at the World Cup.

He has had his membership of Takashinga Cricket Club withdrawn after the club decided that wearing a black armband during the match against Namibia on February 10 “brought the game of cricket and the club into disrepute”.

Olonga was making a protest against the regime of Robert Mugabe, pointing to what he and fellow protester Andy Flower described as “the death of democracy in our beloved country”.

Takashinga chairman Givemore Makoni said in a statement released on Thursday that the decision was taken by the club’s disciplinary committee.

The statement read: “The disciplinary committee has decided that Henry Olonga’s membership be withdrawn.

"By wearing the black armband, Henry has not only brought the game of cricket and the club into disrepute, but he has also compromised one of the club’s major objectives of embracing the ethical and professional demands of the game of cricket.”