Former Zim Test player Charlie Lock evicted from farm

Posted by brmtaylor.com admin on October 08, 2007

Last week, an article was published in the Telegraph explaining the situation of Zimbabwe's remaining white farmers. This included an exclusive interview with Charlie Lock.

His First Class debut came in the 1987-88 season for Mashonaland against a tourning New South Wales team. After playing cricket in England for several years, he returned to his country of birth, and had success playing for local club side Ruzawi, and Mashonaland Country Districts in the Logan Cup. Good form earned him a spot in the Test team against South Africa. He took 5 wickets in what turned out to be his only Test cap.

He played a total of 8 ODI's for Zimbabwe, his finest moment coming in the 3rd ODI of the 1996 series against New Zealand. Lock took 5 wickets for 5 runs in the space of 11 balls, to turn the match around, enough to give Zimbabwe the win.

Lock played his last years of cricket for Mashonaland, before retiring in 1998.

He was in the news again on October 2, as one of the last white farmers to hand over the keys to his farm.

Charlie Lock told the Telegraph, "They came with their guns and fired a few rounds. I was forced to pay off 158 workers. The soldiers drove them and their families off in the space of 24 hours. They vanished. I may have been forced to go but I will continue to fight in the courts. I have five court orders allowing me to stay."

The case will soon go to court.

In 2000, Lock made his intentions of coaching clear, stating he wanted to coach a school team, starting from the under-13's and taking them through to the senior team. If the outcome of his court case isn't in his favour, it would be nice to think that there would be a place for him in Zimbabwe Cricket. While at 45 his international playing days are well and truly behind him (it is unclear whether he still represents Ruzawi or not), perhaps he could be an assistant coach or academy coach. Even coaching a school team, as he wanted to do 7 years ago, would be a favourable outcome for cricket in Zimbabwe.

Someone of Charlie Lock's expertise shouldn't be lost to the country.