CRICKET LOSES A FRIEND

ZIMBABWE Cricket yesterday announced the death of Shepherd Makunura, who was the fielding coach of the Chevrons.

He was 46.

“He had been unwell and lost his battle in the early hours of Thursday, 15 December 2022, at a private hospital in Harare.

“At the time of his untimely passing, Makunura was doubling up as Fielding Coach with the Zimbabwe Senior Men’s National Team and Head Coach at provincial side Southern Rocks.

“Born in Harare on 23 October 1976, he started playing cricket in the late 1980s at Chengu Primary School in Highfield, earning a scholarship that took him to Prince Edward School for his secondary education.

“A right-hand batter, Makunura was one of the brightest prospects to emerge from ZC’s development programme for high-density areas as he made it into the Zimbabwe Under-14 and Under-15 sides.

“In 1990, while in Form 1, he started his club career as one of the pioneering members of Takashinga.”

The statement added:

“He was the Zimbabwe A coach for the incoming tours by Canada and Kenya in 2018, the same year that he also took the Zimbabwe XI side to the Africa Cup tournament in South Africa.

“On the domestic front, Makunura made history with Mountaineers by becoming the first coach in Zimbabwe to win three consecutive Logan Cup titles between 2017 and 2019 before he went on to claim the coveted silverware again the following season with Rocks.

“Makunura is survived by his wife, Sinikiwe Mpofu, a former Zimbabwe international cricketer who is the current Zimbabwe Senior Women’s National Team Assistant Coach, and two children.”

ZC Managing Director Givemore Makoni said:

“On behalf of Zimbabwe Cricket, our deepest sympathies are with his family, colleagues and friends as they come to terms with losing such an affable and wonderful man,” Mr Makoni said.

“We have lost one of our very best coaches, an unsung hero of our game who has been instrumental in the unearthing and nurturing of many of Zimbabwe’s talented players.

“Our thoughts are with Sinikiwe, his family and friends at this devastatingly sad time.” – Zimcricket