Heath Streak, Zimbabwe’s Champion Allrounder, dies at 49

Heath Streak, the former Zimbabwean cricket captain and one of the country’s cricketing legends, has passed away at the age of 49 following a battle with cancer.

Streak served as Zimbabwe’s captain from 2000 to 2004 and had a remarkable career, playing 65 Test matches and 189 ODIs. He remains the only Zimbabwean cricketer to have taken 100 Test wickets, often carrying the team’s bowling attack singlehandedly.

An Illustrious Career

While primarily recognized for his pace bowling, Streak also made significant contributions with the bat, accumulating 1990 runs in Test matches and 2943 runs in ODIs. His most memorable moment came with his first and only Test century, an unbeaten 127 against the West Indies in Harare.

Streak’s cricket journey began with his debut against Pakistan in 1993, and he rapidly rose to prominence. In just his second Test in Rawalpindi, he took eight wickets, showcasing his exceptional bowling skills.

Career Bowling Stats
Right-Arm Fast Medium Bowler

Format	Matches	Innings	Balls Bowled	Maidens	Runs Given	Wickets	Best Bowling	Economy Rate	Average	Strike Rate	4 Wicket Hauls	5 Wicket Hauls
Test 1993-2005	65	102	13559	595	6079	216	6/73	2.69	28.1	62.8	16	7
ODI 1993-2005	189	185	9468	114	7129	239	5/32	4.51	29.8	39.6	7	1

Career Batting Stats
Right-Handed Batsman

Format	Matches	Innings	Not Outs	Runs	High Score	Average	Balls Faced	Strike Rate	100s	50s	4s	6s
Test 1993–05	65	107	18	1990	127*	22.4	5369	37.1	1	11	212	12
ODI 1993–05	189	159	55	2943	79*	28.3	4008	73.4	0	13	203	48

Career Fielding Stats

Format	Catches	Run Outs	Stumpings
Test	17	6	0
ODI	46	22	0

While primarily recognized for his pace bowling, Streak also made significant contributions with the bat, accumulating 1990 runs in Test matches and 2943 runs in ODIs. His memorable moment came with his first and only Test century, an unbeaten 127 against the West Indies in Harare.

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Streak’s cricket journey began with his debut against Pakistan in 1993, and he rapidly rose to prominence. In just his second Test in Rawalpindi, he took eight wickets, showcasing his exceptional bowling skills.

Post-Retirement and Coaching

In 2005, Streak retired from international cricket to take on the role of Warwickshire’s captain. However, his tenure was cut short due to struggles with personal form. He later joined the Indian Cricket League (ICL) in 2007, effectively ending his international career.

Following his playing career, Streak ventured into coaching, taking up various roles with Zimbabwe, Scotland, Bangladesh, Gujarat Lions, and Kolkata Knight Riders. However, his legacy took a somber turn when he was banned by the ICC for eight years due to anti-corruption breaches.

My heartfelt condolences to #HeathStreak’ s family and friends.
He was a fierce competitor and led Zimbabwe admirably.
May God give strength to the bereaved family. pic.twitter.com/70DVhtEJTk

— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) September 3, 2023

Legacy and Final Years

Tragically, Heath Streak was serving his ban at the time of his passing. He would have been 57 years old when the ban was set to end, but he had expressed doubts about whether he would be able to resume a role in the cricketing world. There were considerations of appealing the length of his ban before his illness.

Despite the challenges, his cricket academy continued to operate. It was renamed the Zimbabwe Youth Academy after Streak’s resignation last year. In his final months, he found solace in activities like fishing and caring for the family farm.

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