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Brandon Moyo, [email protected]

THE memorial service of the late Zimbabwe Cricket legend Heath Streak, is set to take place at Mystique Gardens at Fourwinds suburb in Bulawayo today.

Streak succumbed to colon cancer at the age of 49 at his family farm in Inyathi.

Fans and the community at large will be able to pay their respects in today’s memorial service to which the late legend’s family has invited members of the public.

The service will be used to celebrate the life of Zimbabwe’s greatest ever bowler who managed to touch so many lives all over the world.

The memorial service is scheduled to begin at 3pm and will honour the passionate cricket and fishing icon.

At the time of his death, Streak had managed to get his green fishing blazer for Zimbabwe, making him one of the few who have managed to don Zimbabwean colours in three different  codes.

Apart from cricket and rugby, where he managed to represent Zimbabwe (rugby at Under-19 level), Streak also managed to get his green blazer for Zimbabwe in fishing so he was very proud to be one of the few who got rugby colours, cricket colours and fishing colours for Zimbabwe.

Longtime friend and family spokesperson, John Rennie also confirmed the memorial, adding that the Chevrons icon has been cremated as per his last wishes.

“I can confirm that Heath Streak has been cremated as per his wish and there will be a memorial service in Bulawayo on Friday,” said Rennie.

Bulawayo  City Council had resolved to have him buried at Lady Stanley Cemetery alongside many of the city’s most prominent sons and daughters among them Adam Ndlovu, Willard Khumalo, Barry Daka, Chipo Soko and Tymon Mabaleka.

Streak’s death was felt across the entire cricket world with some of the game’s legends, including Sachin Tendulkar, Wasim Akram, AB De Villiers, and Kevin Pietersen among others leading the tributes, something which was testament to the impact he had.

Streak left behind a legacy that will last forever, having played 254 international matches for Chevrons across two formats, One Day Internationals (ODIs) and Tests.

In the 50-over format, Streak had 189 caps for Zimbabwe while making 65 appearances in Tests (second most capped player in the format).

He was a true legend of the game. He was always a man of the people, growing up speaking Ndebele as well as he spoke English, and never forgot his background.

He was a hero of Zimbabwe’s first-ever Test match victory, over Pakistan at Harare Sports Club in the 1994/95 season, taking nine wickets in the match.

For most of his career, with varying degrees of support, he was the spearhead of Zimbabwe’s bowling, and in his 65 Test matches he took 216 wickets, he remains the only Zimbabwean to have taken more than 100 wickets in the game’s longest format, for an average of 28.14, with best figures of 6/73 in his final Test match against India in Harare in the 2005/06 season.

He managed to achieve a rare feat of 2 000 runs and 200 wickets in One Day Internationals (ODIs) in just 187 appearances for the Chevrons where he scored 2 901 runs for Zimbabwe at 28,44 and 237 wickets at 29,81.

Those who will attend today’s memorial to honour his love for cricket and fishing were advised to:
Ladies – feel free to wear a touch of red

Cricketers – dig out an old red Zimbabwe shirt
Fishermen – your Zimbabwe colours with red in it

Lovers of Zimbabwe and our beautiful country – please try to wear something red.

The family said people will be free to bring their own eats and cooler boxes for the after service scene.

Tea and coffee will be provided. – @brandon_malvin