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Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE national cricket team coach Heath Streak is now working towards attaining a level three coaching qualification after attending the course in Dubai, United Arab Emirates at the beginning of this month.
Streak attended the lessons at the International Cricket Council Academy from 4 to 9 December but will only get the certification upon completion of his assessment which will be done online. He has up until the middle of 2017 to fulfill the requirements.
“It was quite intense, it was done over six days, lots of pre-course preparations, they do a whole lot of presentations, they had presenters who presented on different topics. I have got until the middle of 2017, around eight assessments that I have to send in, if they are not happy you redo until you pass, all is done online,’’ said Streak.
He was one of the 24 participants at the course with the other high profile attendee being Sri Lankan Malinga Bandara. Ashley Ross of New Zealand is the man in charge of the ICC Academy while other presenters were people who have been involved with the game at international level.
Streak feels that the course was really beneficial to him as it looked on the organisational side of coaching as well as diverse methods of mentoring cricketers.
“We looked at different coaching styles, organisational side of things, the course was very good,’’ Streaks said.
On the plans for the national team whose only confirmed next international assignment is the trip to Sri Lanka in June, Streak said they were looking to have some Zimbabwe A as well as national team fixtures against Afghanistan in January and February. In the meantime, Streak will be monitoring the players during the Logan Cup where matches are lined up to resume on 5 January.
“We are working hard to organise matches for the national and A team, a lot of it will be confirmed early into 2017, Afghanistan will be coming in February, their A team will come in January,’’ said Streak.
The former national team captain was appointed Zimbabwe coach in October last year and has presided over the two Tests against Sri Lanka as well as the triangular series which featured the Asians and West Indies.
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Bongani Ndlovu