Zimpapers Logo

Brandon Moyo, [email protected] 

A year has passed since the tragic loss of Heath Streak, one of Zimbabwe’s most beloved sporting icons. His passing on September 3, 2023, at the age of 49, sent shockwaves through the cricket world, both domestically and internationally.

Streak, a legendary former captain and head coach of the Zimbabwe national cricket team, succumbed to cancer at his family farm in Inyathi. His untimely death left a void in the hearts of countless fans and admirers.

 

A memorial service was held on September 8 to honour Streak’s life and legacy. The event brought together players, coaches, officials, and fans from all walks of life to pay their respects to the man who had inspired a generation of Zimbabwean cricketers.

Streak’s contributions to Zimbabwean cricket were immeasurable. As a player, he was renowned for his all-round abilities, while his leadership as captain and coach helped elevate the national team to new heights. His passion for the game and his commitment to developing young talent will continue to be remembered long after his passing.”

As he ascended to the heavens, Streak left a huge void, not only in the Zimbabwean cricket landscape but the entire cricket world. The gentle giant, the “Matabele Bull,” was not just a cricketer par excellence; he was a man of the people who touched so many lives with his kindness and love. He was a proud Matabeleland Warrior who was dearly loved and will always be dearly missed.

Streaky may be gone, but he will never be forgotten. The great man will always be remembered in Zimbabwe cricket circles. The lion-hearted gentle giant served Zimbabwe with pride. Streak eloquently spoke isiNdebele and for that, and many other reasons including his humility, the people of Matabeleland loved him.

He was so many things to many people, and veteran cricket administrator Nicholas “Nick” Singo reminisces about the first time he got to work with him when they sought to introduce cricket in the western suburbs of Bulawayo. He became an instant darling to the thousands of kids who, in most cases, always saw him on their black-and-white television screens.

“I knew Heath Streak way back while he was at REPS. As a development coordinator, my role was to expose young black cricketers to the sport. As a result, I would go around schools organising matches for primary schoolchildren to play against traditional cricket-playing schools, and that’s when I met him while in junior school. 

“One of my friends was a teacher there (REPS) and he would boast that they couldn’t lose to any school, be it rugby or cricket, as long as Heath was in the team. Unfortunately, during that time, the traditional cricket-playing schools didn’t recognise cricketers from the western areas until the late 90s. So the western schools never played him until he finished his high school,” said Singo.

Decades later, Singo still remembers how Streak was welcome to helping with the development of the game in the western suburbs. 

“After being drafted into the national team in the 90s, he became an instant hero in cricket circles. I then asked his father Denis if he could speak to Heath so that he could come and assist me with coaching in the high-density suburbs. He agreed. To my surprise, the following week Heath was on the phone. ‘Unjani mdala. Ngizwa ubaba esithi lifuna uncedo.’ That was Heath on my school phone. We spoke at length over the phone about what my vision was and what kind of assistance I wanted. 

“We set the practice schedules for the boys in the western areas. Since he was not familiar with the schools, I had to meet him at BAC and drive to the venue. The players were not only excited to meet their hero but were pleasantly surprised to hear a white boy speak fluent Ndebele. I think this is one thing which made him very popular in Matabeleland. He could speak their language, hence he was one of their own,” Singo vividly recalled.

As Singo recalls, Streak would go out of his way to source kits for the development players. He also availed his father’s cricket ground at the farm for them. 

“Such was his love for up-and-coming cricketers. I think through his father, he realised that for cricket to survive it had to spread to the marginalised areas. I also worked closely with Heath when he played for Matabeleland. By then he was mature and took it upon himself to mentor up-and-coming cricketers. Such was the man. We all loved him and we miss him dearly,” he said.

One of the players who benefitted from Streak was fast bowler Chris Mpofu, who also shared with Saturday Chronicle a memory of the gentle giant. Mpofu worked with Streak on numerous occasions and he is the cricketer that he is today because of him. 

“For me, Streaky was like a brother and a father figure. I was fortunate enough to play with him for a bit and had the privilege to be coached by him when he was national team coach, bowling coach and also Tuskers coach for a season. I played cricket when I started watching him on TV at the World Cup in England. From hating the game, I fell in love with the game. I got my first pair of cricket boots from him when I was starting the game. So, there is a lot I’m grateful for to him. Even when things were not going well in my career, he always made sure that he picked me up in different ways. I am forever grateful and I will always miss him,” said Mpofu.

Streaky served his country diligently. He proudly and passionately steered the Chevrons’ ship to success and when it sank, he was there as well; he never turned his back. For that, and for those years of loyal service to Zimbabwe Cricket, for those 254 proud appearances for Zimbabwe in One Day Internationals (ODIs) and Tests, for those 455 international wickets and for those 4 933 international runs, you played your part and touched so many souls and for that, your legacy will live forever.

In you, Zimbabwe lost a humble legend, a true gentleman, and your contributions to the sport of cricket, both as a player and a coach, are immeasurable. You wrote your name in stone in cricket’s folklore. You left your footsteps on this planet and memories in us as a nation. You left an indelible mark on the sport and your community at large, you led the country with pride and honour, and you were and will always be a hero to thousands of Zimbabweans. Your legacy is sealed and we will forever be grateful for your immense contribution.

On this day, we stand here remembering the great man that you were and the legacy that you left. With your loss – a year later – still as painful as it was when news first broke out on that fateful Sunday morning, we remain finding solace in the memories of your exceptional cricketing career and draw inspiration from the countless lives you have touched through the sport. Your legacy is sealed and will never be forgotten.

So long Streaky! We will always keep talking about you. You will never be forgotten!

@brandon_malvin