LONDON, April 16: Former Zimbabwe fast bowler Henry Olonga says he will not accept offers of political asylum despite living in fear after protesting against President Robert Mugabe’s regime during the World Cup.

Olonga, who has arrived in England after being granted a work permit to play club cricket and do TV commentary, said he had heard of offers of asylum from Australia and New Zealand.

“It has never appealed to me,” Olonga, who made headlines during this year’s World Cup when he and batsman Andy Flower wore black armbands to “mourn the death of democracy” in Zimbabwe under Mugabe’s rule, told Reuters in a telephone interview on Tuesday.

“If there was a legitimate way for me to work then that is what I wanted to pursue.”

The 26-year-old Olonga, who has a six-month work visa, said he felt safer in England than he had done in South Africa, where he went into hiding after the World Cup amid reports that the Zimbabwean secret police were looking for him.

He said that he had received threatening e-mails, which made it unsafe for him to return to his home country.

“I believe that England is a bit further down the line with regards to being a free country and allowing people to express themselves,” added Olonga, who announced his retirement from international cricket after Zimbabwe’s final World Cup match.

“It’s a lot more tolerant about people being outspoken and allowing people to speak their minds (so) I don’t feel at as much risk as I would have done in South Africa.”

Olonga said his World Cup experience had soured his taste for cricket and he was not interested in pursuing a first-class contract.

“To be honest, it was a particularly unpleasant experience over the last few months and I’m not keen on playing (first-class cricket).

“I’ll just get back into it with my village cricket.”

Olonga said he had received plenty of support from England and from his family throughout the time he was in hiding.

“The support has been great from a wide variety of people,” he said. “It was really how I was able to deal with the situation.”

He is now looking forward to playing for pub exhibition side Lashings, who are based in the English county of Kent.

“I have some television commitments and a bit of a dodgy knee, but once that all gets sorted I’m looking forward to playing for Lashings,” he said.—Reuters