[Sue Montague:] "The Times has called it the most courageous gesture in the history of sport. Two Zimbabwean cricketers, one black and one white, yesterday wore black armbands during their World Cup match against Namibia to protest against what they said was 'the death of democracy in our beloved Zimbabwe'. We have managed to speak to one of those players, Henry Olonga, from Zimbabwe. He told Richard Knight why he decided to protest."

[Henry Olonga:] "At the end of the day the decision was based on moral conviction and a sense of - a deep belief that we had to do what was right to appease our conscience. Obviously we had to weigh up the possible consequences not only to ourselves, but to the Cricket World Cup, and to cricket in Zimbabwe, which we did. We certainly went into this with open eyes and felt it was the right thing to do."

[Richard Knight:] "I assume that you have considered that there might be some repercussions to yourself, perhaps even personal risks. Do you think that is potentially the case?"

[Olonga:] "That may be the case but, like I said, we are motivated by something deeper than just preference - we are motivated by conviction, so sometimes when you vocalise your convictions there certainly are consequences which one has to consider, and I think Andrew and myself have made those considerations and will have to deal with whatever repercussions come along our way in the best way that we can, but we believe in the greater good."

[Knight:] "If you could summarise the message you are trying to convey in this protest, what is the main message that you would like people to take away from your actions?"

[Olonga:] "I guess the message would be that it's probably time that people began to stand up for what is right, and the more people hesitate, the more people hold back, the less we can achieve selectively to bring about a restoration of sanity and dignity to the nation of Zimbabwe."

[Knight:] "Do you expect now that others will follow your lead and join in this protest?"

[Olonga:] "It's very difficult for us, or at least for me, to judge or comment on that but I certainly hope that in keeping with what I've just said, people will begin to stand up and take a brave stance. There must be strength, however; whenever you make a stance of this magnitude or this kind you have to weigh up the costs - and I don't know how many people are willing to pay the cost that may be required, so I certainly hope people will be inspired to do something with the power that they feel is in their hands; I hope that by our stand, people will to inspired to follow suit."

[Montague:] "That was Henry Olonga talking to Richard Knight. Well, Henry Olonga may hope that his actions will inspire others. There's no sign though of that happening to the England team yet. Just two days to their first world cup match and they still haven't decided whether they are going to play in Zimbabwe.

"Dr James Smith is from the Aegis Trust. It describes itself as an organisation which works for the prevention of genocide, and he's trying to raise £1 million to allow the ECB to withdraw: good morning."

[James Smith:] "Good morning."

[Montague:] "What do you think of the way in which the ECB, and indeed the team, have handled this?"

[Smith:] "Well, first of all can I just say that Henry Olonga and his colleague Andy Flowers are just incredible people. They have blown away this whole myth and argument that you cannot mix conscience and sport. Their courageous stand is inspiring, and I hope that it will inspire the England team and indeed our own England and Wales Cricket Board to follow likewise."

[Montague:] "Follow likewise, what? Wear black armbands?"

[Smith:] "Well, that would be a very useful gesture. You know, the ECB said a few weeks ago that gestures - not to go to Harare - would be merely a gesture. I think we've seen yesterday how powerful gestures can be. And I think, yes, they ought to make a gesture. As you know, we've been campaigning to move the game to South Africa from Harare, not because this is about cricket, it's about taking a moral stand."

[Montague:] "Is it about security?"

[Smith:] "No, it's not about security. These security issues have to be taken into account. The whole argument, the campaign about moving this match, has been about the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe - that we have to draw attention to this."

[Montague:] "You have been raising money, and this money is only going to go to them if they stand down on grounds of principle rather than security."

[Smith:] "Well absolutely, yes. The purpose of this, the Aegis Trust created zimbabwefund.org, in order to raise money to help offset the financial barrier that the ECB said existed. In order to move this match -"

[Montague:] "So how much money have you raised?"

[Smith:] "Well, we haven't raised anywhere near a million but what we've been doing is helping to put the spotlight on the ECB, and helping to put pressure to say, 'hey, stop talking about money and start talking about the people whose lives are under threat'. Not ten, twenty people, not a team, but millions of people who are under threat of starvation, deliberate starvation, never mind the torture, raping and everything else that is going on out there. And we really hope that, I think that behind the scenes, there is an argument going on. I think there is deliberation within the England team, who do have a moral conscience, and I think the lawyers are preventing them from voicing that."

[Montague:] "Just very briefly; you say that you haven't raised a million. Many would say a million isn't nearly enough."

[Smith:] "Well, that's true, but then again this comes back to the whole issue of sponsorship, about losing fixtures next year, and these are irrelevant arguments when million of people's lives are under threat. What I just want to add is that because the thrust of this campaign is about making a moral stand - in fact, it would be consistent now that Zimbabweans have made such a courageous stand themselves for the England team to go to Harare to play with these guys - to say that now they've put their necks on the line, we ought to go and stand with them. Put armbands on if they want, but make a statement about the humanitarian issues there, and, you know, go on and play good cricket, but the point is; draw attention to the humanitarian issue that's there."

[Montague:] "Dr James Smith, thank you."