The ManicaPost
On the point with Aubrey Kamba
FORMER Zimbabwe captain and right arm fast medium bowler, Heath Streak has been appointed the country’s head coach, taking over from the Australian native, Dav Whatmore who lost his job in June. Streak was preferred over his former team-mate, Andy Blignaut and South Africans, Peter Kirsten and Justin Summons.Streak has been tasked with making sure that Zimbabwe qualifies for the 2019 World Cup. He will also continue with his role as bowling coach for Gujarat Lions in the IPL.
Streak was recently bowling coach for Bangladesh cricket team and during his tenure there, the Tigers showed an immense improvement in their bowling attack. This led them to record home victories for a couple of years.
He comes in with a lot of experience in death bowling which is one of the traits that is lacking in our national side. The two South Africans, Makhaya Ntini and Lance Klusener will remain doing the duties they were doing during the time of Whatmore, which is bowling coach and batting consultant respectively.
Ntini who was interim head coach since Whatmore’s departure was the gaffer for Zimbabwe’s limited-overs series against India and the two Tests against New Zealand. Streak is a former head coach of Bulawayo-based franchise, Matabeleland Tuskers from 2012 to 2013, leading them to a Logan Cup victory.
Streak was also Zimbabwe’s bowling coach between 2009 and 2013, under “the good murungu” Alan Butcher. Heath played a very crucial role in prepping the Chevrons for their Test comeback in 2011 after an eight-year sabbatical.
Time is not on Streak’s side as he has less than a month to prepare the boys for a two-Test series against Sri Lanka followed by an ODI tri-series which includes West Indies. Zimbabwe’s cricketers have been in camp under the tutelage of Ntini.
Streak is one of the best cricket players Zimbabwe has ever produced and it is hoped that his stint in the sub-continent will take the country to greater heights and that he brings in more playtime for the players with tours in and out of this country.
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