Henry Olonga


Henry Khaaba Olonga is a Zimbabwean former cricketer, who played Test and One Day International cricket for Zimbabwe. In domestic first-class cricket in Zimbabwe, Olonga played for Matabeleland, Mashonaland and Manicaland. When he made his Test debut in January 1995, he was the first black cricketer and the youngest person to play for Zimbabwe. He was a regular member of the Zimbabwe team from 1998 to 2003.
He was considered one of the fastest bowlers in international cricket, but also one of the more inaccurate, bowling many wides and no-balls. His international career came to an end in 2003 after Olonga and teammate Andy Flower wore black armbands during an international cricket match in the 2003 Cricket World Cup to "mourn the death of democracy" in Zimbabwe. Death threats forced him to live in exile in England. Olonga announced his retirement from international cricket after Zimbabwe's final game in the 2003 World Cup. Olonga and Flower were given honorary life membership of the Marylebone Cricket Club later in 2003.

Early life

Olonga was born in Lusaka, Zambia. His father was Kenyan and his mother was Zimbabwean. He has two sisters and two brothers. One of his brothers, Victor Olonga, played professional rugby and became captain of the Zimbabwe national team. His uncle is the former Kenyan minister Francis Masakhalia.
After returning to Kenya, the family moved to Bulawayo in Zimbabwe. Olonga was educated at Rhodes Estate Preparatory School and played cricket for the Partridges, the Zimbabwe national primary schools cricket team. He then attended Plumtree School, where he became head boy. He was involved in acting, athletics and rugby in addition to cricket. In a school cricket match against Brighton College, he scored 103 runs and took 8 wickets for 15 runs. He found a firm Christian faith in 1992 at a youth camp in Marondera.

Domestic career

Olonga made his debut in first-class cricket in March 1994, aged 17, playing for Matabeleland against Mashonaland in the Logan Cup. He took five wickets in the match, but had varied performances over the next couple of years. He continued to play domestic first-class cricket for Matabeleland until 1998–99 and then for Mashonaland A in 2001–02. Olonga later played for Manicaland in 2002–03.

International career

He was not an obvious or automatic choice when he was selected to make his international debut for Zimbabwe in the Test against Pakistan in Harare in January 1995. Having given up his Kenyan citizenship, Olonga became the youngest player to represent Zimbabwe in international cricket, aged 18 years and 212 days.
A right arm fast bowler, Olonga was also the first black cricketer to play for Zimbabwe and the third Zambian-born Test cricketer after Phil Edmonds and Neal Radford of England. Zimbabwe beat Pakistan by an innings and 64 runs, the team's first ever Test victory, mainly due to a double century from Grant Flower, as well as centuries from Andy Flower and Guy Whittall. Olonga took the wicket of Saeed Anwar in his first over, but he was no-balled once for throwing. With help from Dennis Lillee, he rebuilt his action before returning to international cricket.
He made his debut in ODIs playing against South Africa in October 1995. He was man of the match when he took his first 5-wicket haul in Tests, playing against India in October 1998, Zimbabwe's second Test victory. He was also the spearhead of the team that won Zimbabwe's first overseas Test, beating Pakistan in Peshawar in November 1998. Olonga took a second and final Test 5-wicket haul in a losing cause against Pakistan in November 2002.
He played 30 Test matches for Zimbabwe, taking 68 wickets with a bowling average of 38.52. Olonga also played 50 One Day Internationals as well, taking 58 wickets at an average of 34.08. He holds the record for the best bowling in an ODI by a Zimbabwean, with figures of 6–19 against England in Cape Town in 2000.

Cricket World Cups

Olonga joined the Zimbabwe team at the 1996 Cricket World Cup in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. He was selected to play in Zimbabwe's final game of the competition, against India, but asked to be omitted as he was out of practice. He played in 7 matches in the 1999 Cricket World Cup in England.
He was selected for the Zimbabwe team at the 2003 Cricket World Cup, held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya. Some of the countries playing in the tournament were concerned about security: New Zealand had refused to play in Nairobi and England refused to play in Harare.

Controversy

Olonga and his teammate Andy Flower achieved international recognition by wearing a black armband in the match against Namibia at Harare Sports Club, to "mourn the death of democracy" in Zimbabwe under the government led by Robert Mugabe. Olonga and Flower released a statement on 10 February 2003, the second day of the tournament, stating in part:
Flower scored 39 runs, Olonga conceded 8 runs from 3 overs but took no wickets as Zimbabwe won the match. Their protest was supported in the world press and more widely internationally, but caused a political storm in Zimbabwe. The minister of information Jonathan Moyo labelled Olonga an "Uncle Tom" with "a black skin and a white mask".
Despite the protest, Flower continued to play for Zimbabwe in the tournament, but Olonga was omitted from the team for six matches, ostensibly on grounds of his poor form. Olonga was selected to play in one more World Cup match, against Kenya in Bloemfontein in the Super Sixes stage of the tournament on 12 March.
A warrant was issued in Zimbabwe for Olonga's arrest on charges of treason. Death threats made him go temporarily into hiding and then into exile in England after Zimbabwe's last match of the tournament, against Sri Lanka in East London. A knee injury forced his retirement from first-class cricket later in 2003, but he has played occasional matches since 2005 for the Lashings World XI. By 2010, he was calling for the restoration of international cricket between Zimbabwe and other countries.

Beyond cricket

Olonga met physical education teacher Tara Read while both were attending the Australian Institute of Sport's cricket program in Adelaide. The couple married in 2004.
On Friday 13 October 2006, Olonga won Five's The All Star Talent Show with 50% of the overall votes.
He is now pursuing a career as a cricket commentator and singer and released an album Aurelia in 2006. His autobiography, Blood, Sweat and Treason, was released in July 2010 by Vision Sports Publishing and was longlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2010.
In 2019, he entered as a contestant on The Voice Australia and was eliminated in the battle rounds.