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Hundreds of people turned out this morning to welcome back members of the Zimbabwe cricket team from their sucessful enterprise in the World Cup.

They may not have won as many matches as perhaps they should have, but Zimbabwe were still effectively 5th in the competition, winning the games that counted and finishing above the likes of India, the West Indies, Sri Lanka and England.

The ten members of the team who returned on Wednesday were greeted by a marching band when they arrived at the shopping centre known as Sam Levey's Village in the Harare suburb of Borrowdale. They walked through the centre behind the band, followed by people of all ages, sexes and colours who applauded them.

For more than two hours they signed autographs for excited children - as well as for many adults! - on posters, caps, flags, etc., that were being sold by staff of the Zimbabwe Cricket Union.

``Totally cool,'' was how Mpumelelo ``Pom'' Mbangwa described the response from the public. ``And mostly totally surprising.''

Malcolm Jarvis, the team manager, said they'd heard there had been a keen following of the team's progess in the tournament but had no idea that it was to this extent. ``Even the security guards at work knew how the team had performed. This does a lot for cricket here.''

The last word came from Henry Olonga, as it did in the match against India. ``Fantastic! That's all I can say.''

The players present were: Eddo Brandes, Alistair Campbell, Grant Flower, Murray Goodwin, Adam Huckle, Mpumelelo Mbangwa, Henry Olonga, Heath Streak, Dirk Viljoen and Guy Whittall, as well as coach, Dave Houghton, and Malcolm Jarvis.