Andy Flower Ponders Armband Protest and Beyond

[CrimsonAvenger]

In a soulful interview to The Gaurdian, Andy Flower recollects his journey as a coach from Zimbabwean days, and ponders over the events that led to the Black Armband Protest: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/no ... nry-olonga

"About a month before the World Cup started in South Africa I met a friend with whom I'd played Zimbabwean cricket. He'd just been thrown off his farm at the dead of night [by Mugabe's 'comrades of land redistribution']. He had lost this magnificent farm where he'd employed hundreds of people and had set up a school and clinic. He said, 'We'll take a drive and I'll show you what's happened to this once thriving community.' And he took me around and it was very sad to see. He was quite religious and he said, 'I believe you guys have an obligation to bring this to the world's attention.'

"He wanted us to boycott the World Cup but I wasn't comfortable with that. We came up with a different plan. It changed my life because it was, I guess, a little scary. But once the principle had been planted in my mind, and I planted it in Henry's mind, there was no other way to go. Without sounding pious we knew it was the right thing to do. We had to do it, regardless of the consequences. I've never been able to go back to Zimbabwe – and neither has Henry. The sacrifice he made was huge."

Was he referring to Charlie Lock in this episode?

[auszim]

Definatley a defining moment!!

Adam Gilchrist speaks about it in his book 'True Colours'...He caught up with Andy and Henry the day after the initial arm band and then again post the sweat bands.

The book is well worth a read, over 600 pages but i couldnt put it down!!!

[r@ndom]

it could have been charlie lock but i believe dirk viljoen also had a family farm which he lost around 2003, but i guess a lot of players had ties to farms, i know streak definitely did.