JOHANNESBURG: Heath Streak, one of Zimbabwe’s greatest cricketers, died on Sunday aged 49, his wife said in a social media post. He had been battling colon cancer.
“In the early hours of this morning, Sunday 3 September, the greatest love of my life and the father of my beautiful children, was carried to be with the angels from his home where he wished to spend his last days surrounded by his family and closest loved ones,” Nadine Streak wrote.
Streak was an outstanding fast bowler and capable batsman. He was a key member of Zimbabwe teams that were competitive against cricket’s bigger nations in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
His cricket career ended in ignominy, however, when he was banned for eight years for breaching the International Cricket Council (ICC) anti-corruption code.
It was announced in May this year that Streak was seriously ill — and it was reported in August that he had died, following a message on social media from former teammate Henry Olonga.
Streak himself was quick to assert that he was still alive, but not before numerous tributes by former teammates and opponents.
A strongly-built fast bowler, able to extract movement from unhelpful pitches, Streak took 236 wickets at an average of 28.14 in 65 Test matches.
No other Zimbabwean has taken more than 80 Test wickets.
He made 1,990 runs at 22.35 in Tests to stand seventh on the country’s all-time list. His highest score and only century was 127 not out against the West Indies in Harare in 2003.
Streak took 237 wickets — 104 more than his nearest rival — and scored 2,901 runs in 187 one-day internationals.
He often battled almost alone for his underdog nation against powerful opponents.
His best Test bowling performance was typical. He took six for 73 while India piled up a total of 366 on the way to a 10-wicket win in Harare in 2005.
Streak had two spells as Zimbabwe captain, interrupted by a dispute with Zimbabwe Cricket in 2001 over pay and racial quota issues.
The highlight of his four wins in 21 Tests as captain was Zimbabwe’s first Test victory against India, in Harare in 2001.
He took seven wickets in the match — dismissing Sachin Tendulkar in both innings — and scored 40 runs in the first innings.
He led Zimbabwe in 68 one-day internationals, including the 2003 World Cup in southern Africa when Zimbabwe reached the Super Six stage.
He was sacked as captain in 2004 at a time of upheaval in Zimbabwe cricket when 15 leading players rebelled against the administration.
This, in turn, led to a much-weakened team temporarily losing their Test match status.
He retired from international cricket in 2005.
After a playing spell with English county Warwickshire, he became Zimbabwe’s bowling coach in 2009. His coaching career included stints in Bangladesh, India, England and Scotland.
He was Zimbabwe head coach from 2016 to 2018, when he was fired after the team failed to qualify for the 2019 World Cup.
He was banned for eight years by the ICC for passing on information and contact details of players to an unnamed Indian man and accepting payment which included $35,000 in Bitcoin.
Streak accepted responsibility for his actions, but said he had never been involved in match-fixing.
Zimbabwe cricket legend Heath Streak dies aged 49
https://arab.news/cd3rk
Zimbabwe cricket legend Heath Streak dies aged 49
- Former Zimbabwe captain and coach Heath Streak was battling colon cancer
- Streak was a key member of Zimbabwe teams in the late 1990s and early 2000s
UAE dethrone Algeria as Jordan edge Iraq to reach Arab Cup semi-finals
- Jordan repeat Asian Cup triumph over Iraq with a 1-0 victory, Ali Olwan scoring from the spot for the 4th time in 4 consecutive matches
- UAE end Algeria’s reign as Arab Cup champions with a 7-6 penalty-shootout win after the game ends 1-1
DOHA: The UAE and Jordan booked their places in the Arab Cup semi-finals on a dramatic day of quarter-final action in which the defending champions were eliminated and a regional rivalry was renewed.
Jordan repeated their Asian Cup triumph over Iraq with another narrow victory, as Ali Olwan extended his remarkable streak of scoring from the spot to four consecutive matches.
His first-half penalty was the only goal in a cagey encounter with few clear-cut chances for either side. Jordan dominated early on but were dealt a blow when star forward Yazan Al-Naimat was forced off with a knee injury.
Iraq improved after the break, with the talismanic Ali Jasim injecting a sense of urgency and twice drawing smart saves from Yazeed Abulaila, first with a fierce long-range strike and then a driven effort moments later.
Jordan nearly sealed the victory with a second goal late on when Mohannad Abu Taha, who scored with a spectacular long-range strike earlier in the tournament, hammered another powerful attempt just wide.
Nevertheless, the Jordanians held firm to set up a semi-final clash with Saudi Arabia on Monday.
The second quarter-final delivered even more drama, as the UAE ended Algeria’s reign as Arab Cup champions with a sudden-death, penalty-shootout win.
Algeria dominated the opening half and twice found the net, only for both goals to be ruled out. They finally made their pressure count just 50 seconds after the restart, when Adil Boulbina fired home after Yacine Brahimi’s strike was parried into his path.
The UAE had struggled to gain a foothold in the game but hit back through Bruno, who converted a pinpoint, inswinging cross from Yahya Al-Ghassani midway through the second half.
As Algeria pressed for a winner they were nearly punished at the end of regulation time when Lucas Pimenta’s fine header forced a sharp save from Farid Chaal.
Extra time offered chances for Brahimi and substitute Zakaria Draoui to put Algeria ahead again, but the breakthrough never came.
And so to the shootout, in which the UAE goalkeeper, Hamad Almeqbaali, denied Mohammed Khacef before Richard Akonnor coolly dispatched the decisive kick to make it 7-6 on penalties and set up a semi-final clash with Morocco, also on Monday.
