Streak on Vitori ban

Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE national cricket team coach Heath Streak believes that left arm seamer Brian Vitori who was on Boxing Day suspended from bowling on the global stage by the International Cricket Council still has a huge role to play in the future.

Vitori was slapped with a 12-month ban by the ICC after assessment on his bowling action showed that some of his deliveries exceeded the 15-degree level of tolerance. This followed an independent assessment carried out on his bowling which took place at an ICC accredited University of Pretoria on 12 December. The 26-year-old Vitori was assessed after the authenticity of his bowling action was questioned by the umpires, Richard Illington and Jeremiah Matibiri during the Tri-series One Day International final between Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka at Queens Sports Club on 27 November. He took three wickets for 52 runs in nine overs in that match.

Streak, who was Bangladesh bowling coach when the bowling actions of left arm seamer Taskin Ahmed and right arm pace bowler Al-Amin Hossain came under scrutiny from the ICC is convinced that Vitori, can still have a role to play when his suspension ends.

“I have been involved in such situations when I was with Bangladesh, his (Vitori) numbers are not that bad, he is one degree above the limit and three of his deliveries were on 16 degrees. He has got a big part to play in the future, he is too valuable an asset. In that last game all his fuller deliveries were legitimate, the slightly shorter ones were the concern,’’ said Streak.

Asked whether it was not a risk playing him in that final against Sri Lanka, Streak pointed out that Vitori had been cleared to bowl by the ICC after undergoing rehabilitation and testing in South Africa. Vitori was suspended from bowling in the international game in February 2016 after his action had been reported as suspect during a Twenty20 International match against Bangladesh in the Asian country. He was cleared to bowl in June.

Streak said he will get into talks with Zimbabwe Cricket officials on how best to assist Vitori who is contracted by the Bulawayo Metropolitan Tuskers for the 2016/17 first class season. Since Vitori’s ban only applies to international cricket, ZC can allow him to continue playing in the domestic game while he works on his bowling action.

“We played him in that final because he had done his rehab, had been tested and was fine. How best we can assist him and if he is allowed to play domestic cricket, that is something we are going to discus, finalise with Zimbabwe Cricket. He has a Tuskers contract, he can continue playing for them if ZC are fine with him doing that,’’ said Streak.

On how the country can avoid producing bowlers whose actions keep getting scrutinised on the international stage, Streak called for a lot of video analysis now that there are high qualified coaches at all levels, need for much better screening and corrective measures.

Vitori, fellow seamer Blessing Mahwire as well as the spin duo of Prosper Utseya and Malcolm Waller are some of the Zimbabwean bowlers whose actions have come under scrutiny over the years as the ICC has intensified its clampdown on suspected illegal bowling action.

Streak, appointed national team coach in October 2016 which saw him take charge of the team in the two Tests against Sri Lanka as well as the triangular ODI series against the Asians and West Indies has called for a winning mentality to start settling in on his players in 2017. In order for that to be achieved, the former national team captain believes that everyone involved in cricket has to adopt a professional approach to the game.

“We have to keep building, I would like to see us back to winning ways, there has to be a professional approach by everyone involved, coaching staff and players, if we do that we are going to see much better results,’’ Streak said.

Zimbabwe, according to the ICC Future Tour Programme only have one confirmed international assignment for 2017, a visit to Sri Lanka in June. ZC chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani has stressed that they were looking to organise bilateral series in order to give the national team players the much needed game time.

There are indications that Afghanistan, who last visited the country in October 2015 will be sending their A side as well as national team to Zimbabwe in January and February.

— @Mdawini_29