Chronicle Editor
Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
A few months after the Zimbabwe senior men’s national team and the Zimbabwe Under-19 men’s national team head coaches stepped down from their jobs, the sport’s governing body in the country has begun the search for their replacements.
The two positions – senior national team and Under-19 – were held by Dave Houghton and Prosper Utseya respectively. Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) announced on Friday that the search for suitable candidates has begun.
Houghton left the Chevrons job in December last year after the team’s failure to qualify for the 2023 International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s Cricket World Cup and the T20 World Cup.
The post has been vacant since then; however, in January Walter Chawaguta was named as the interim Chevrons head coach for their tour of Sri Lanka.
When he was stepping down as the Chevrons head coach, Houghton said a new voice was needed in the side.
Chawaguta has since taken over as the new Lady Chevrons head coach leaving the senior men’s post vacant again.
In the Under-19 set-up, Utseya resigned during the Under-19 World Cup and is believed to be relocating to the United States of America (USA), where he found a job as a junior team coach.
In a statement from ZC, for the Chevrons post, the interested individuals should have attained a recognised coaching certificate at a higher level and possess an impeccable record of coaching first-class and international levels.
Results had become a major concern for Zimbabwe, finding themselves at the mercy of associate teams such as Uganda, Scotland and Namibia. In limited overs cricket, the Chevrons have slid down in the rankings, sitting in position 12 in ODI rankings and 13 in T20Is.
Helping the team move up the rankings in the two formats is one of the overall job purposes. The past few years have seen Zimbabwe become pushovers in international cricket and ZC said they need someone,who will be able to make the national team competitive in all formats of the game again.
“To present – overall job purpose – a coaching plan which shows strategies for the national team to be competitive in all formats of the game and ensure the highest level of performance is achieved and maintained.
To attain – another job purpose – a position of at least eight in the ICC Rankings for both the ODI and T20I versions of the game,” read part of ZC’s advert for the senior men’s post.
ZC added that some of the qualifications required for the Chevrons coaching posts include attainment of a recognised coaching certificate at a higher level and an impeccable record of coaching at First-Class and international levels, among other requirements.
The same qualifications are also required for the Under-19 post and the board said the overall job purpose of Utseya’s replacement ,will be ensuring the proper development and management of players, so as to get the best possible result.
“To ensure individual players are prepared, developed and managed so that they can perform at the peak of their capabilities at all times.
Establish a culture and style of play which, supported by key systems and processes, will contribute to a consistent high performance and development of Zimbabwe cricketers.
Ensure the conduct of the Under-19 team is in keeping with the highest standards of integrity,” read ZC’s statement on the Under-19 coach’s proposed job purpose.
The adverts for the two vacant positions ,come after the findings that were presented by a Committee of Inquiry to the ZC board last month.
The committee – chaired by Lloyd Mhishi – recommended that the Board advertise to fill the positions for the Zimbabwe senior men’s national team and the Zimbabwe Under-19 men’s national team head coaches.
Former Zimbabwe cricketer and Sri Lanka head coach, Trevor Penney has been one of the people linked with the Chevrons job. March 15 is the deadline for application for both posts. – @brandon_malvin
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