The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda Senior Sports Reporter
FORMER Zimbabwe senior national cricket team captain Heath Streak has been applauded for a marvellous job as Bangladesh bowling coach since taking over the reins in June last year. Since Streak, a fast bowling all rounder during his playing days, assumed the role of looking after the Bangladesh seamers, there has been marked improvement in the pace bowling department. A number of pace bowlers have made it into the Tigers set up with lots of promise. Streak only looks after the pace bowlers while Sri Lankan Ruwan Kalpage takes care of the spinners.
When Bangladesh recorded their first ever bilateral One Day International series victory over South Africa with a 2-1 triumph at home in July, Mustafizur Rahman was the second highest wicket taker with five wickets in the three matches. Left arm fast medium bowler Rahman, at the age of 19 made his international debut in Bangladesh against Pakistan in April. In the 11 international matches he has played for the Tigers, Rahman already has 25 wickets to his name and has been touted as a player for the future. Streak, who held the same role for the Zimbabwe national team until he was discarded by Zimbabwe Cricket when his contract expired at the end of March 2013, is proud of the amount of work he has done for the Asian country.
“I am very happy as Bangladesh fast bowlers have played a big role in recent success,’’ said Streak. He rates Bangladesh beating England at this year’s International Cricket Council Cricket World Cup by 15 runs in Adelaide, Australia to make it to the tournament’s quarter-finals as his most memorable moment since he joined the Tigers technical team.
Streak was engaged by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) on a two-year arrangement which expires after the 2016 ICC World Twenty20 set for 11 March through to 3 April in India. Streak has not yet made up his mind whether he would like to continue as Bangladesh bowling coach with his decision to depend on what the BCB are going to offer him.
The former Zimbabwe captain takes credit for grooming Bangladesh bowlers such as Rahman, Mohammad Shahid, Taskin Ahmed and the return from injury of the seasoned Rubel Hossain. Streak was left a bitter man when ZC decided not to renew his contract as national team bowling coach. What angered him was the fact that he had been given assurances by the local cricket governing body’s hierarchy that he was going to get a contract extension. ZC must be regretting that decision to let him go considering what he has done for Bangladesh while the Zimbabwean bowlers continue to struggle on the international scene.
“I don’t know if they (ZC) have any regrets, but I was disappointed that after being promised an extension I was left without a contract when mine expired,’’ Streak said.
Asked if he is still interested in being part of the Zimbabwean coaching set up, Streak said he has always wanted to coach in his native land which is an indication that if ZC approached him when his arrangement with the BCB comes to an end, chances are high he would accept the offer.
Bangladesh have a huge assignment in October when Australia visit the Asian country for two Test matches in Chittagong and Mirpur. From a bowling perspective, Streak believes that if they can be competitive and win one of the Test matches that would be a great achievement.
While Zimbabwean bowlers continue to find the going tough in international cricket, their Bangladesh counterparts are doing a great job under the guidance of Streak.
