Leading Zimbabwe batsman Andy Flower and black team-mate Henry Olonga issued a hard-hitting statement criticising Zimbabwe's record on human rights and democracy.

Flower, arguably Zimbabwe's greatest player ever and among the top batsmen in the world, strode on to the field wearing a black armband and Olonga said he would do the same.

``In doing so we are mourning the death of democracy in our beloved Zimbabwe,'' the pair said in a statement.

``We are making a silent plea to those responsible to stop the abuse of human rights in Zimbabwe. We pray that our small action may help to restore sanity and dignity to our nation.''

England and Australia have come under huge pressure from their governments to boycott fixtures in strife-torn Zimbabwe in protest at the policies of President Robert Mugabe, who they say rigged his 2002 re-election and has triggered mass hunger.

DAYS OF TALKS
Australia have said they would go ahead with their match, while England were due to make a statement later yesterday after days of talks between players and officials.

``We cannot in good conscience take to the field and ignore the fact that millions of our compatriots are starving, unemployed and oppressed,'' Flower and Olonga said.

``We are aware that hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans may even die in the coming months through a combination of starvation and poverty and AIDS.

``We have heard a torrent of racist hate speech directed at minority groups.''

Yesterday’s group A game against Namibia began with the Harare Sports Club barely a fifth full, with most of those spectators schoolchildren. Mugabe, a great cricket fan and patron of the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU), was not present.

ZCU Chairman Peter Chingoka said he was aware of the players' statement but could not immediately comment.

``I'm told that there is a statement. We will make a (reaction) statement at an appropriate time,'' he told Reuters.

Flower is not expected to play a major international event for Zimbabwe again. He played county cricket in England last year and is expected to return next season.

Olonga was the first black player to play for Zimbabwe, where cricket has remained a predominantly white sport since being introduced by British colonists in the mainly black nation.

Although ZCU guidelines recommend fielding at least four black players in any team and five in the squad, the World Cup squad includes just three black players -- Olonga, Douglas Hondo and Tatenda Taibu -- and one of Asian background, Dion Ebrahim.

Until Monday, Zimbabwe's players had refused to be drawn into a political row that has marred preparations for the tournament, which opened on Saturday in South Africa.

England resisted British government pressure for a politically motivated boycott of their game in Harare on Thursday, but are now threatening to miss the match because of concerns over social and political unrest. Reports of death threats against players and their families have fuelled concern.

AUSTRALIAN CONCERNS
Defending champions Australia say they will play, but are also monitoring the situation ahead of their February 24 fixture in Zimbabwe's second city Bulawayo.

Australia and Britain have led calls for Commonwealth sanctions against Mugabe. They say he has compounded Africa's food crisis by seizing white-owned farms to give to blacks.