adminThe cricket body held interviews with shortlisted candidates that included former Test players Grant Flower, Andy Waller and assistant coach Steve Mangongo for the senior national team on Wednesday and yesterday.
Walter Chawaguta, Gary Brent and Shepard Makunura are in the running for the Under-19s’ job.
ZC’s interviewing panel comprised of Freddy Kapuya, Trevor Mutangadura the ZC general manager, board member Sylvester Machaka who was also the chairman of the panel, Brian Murphy senior, an independent representative and Alistair Campbell and the organisation’s human resources representative.
The Under-19 job interviews set the ball rolling on Wednesday.
Chawaguta leads the race for the job previously held by Chris Harris. He also has experience from the national team which he was in charge of for more than four years while Brent who is the head coach at Mountaineers has vast experience as a player and not necessarily as a coach.
Makunura will be one to be groomed for the position in the next few years as he is charismatic and has a bit of experience under his belt. He is getting the best mentorship from Dave Houghton at Southern Rocks in Masvingo.
The junior’s job requires a coach who understands the needs of the youngsters, a leader who can turn the little boys’ dreams into reality and above all a mentor who can bring them to believe that they can play the game of cricket.
Looking at the main job in the game, in a team that is depleted and lacks respect for the man at the helm, the next man on line must be a firm believer in unity creation methods.
In the recent past the team has been torn along racial lines although many within the circles decided to down play this. The racial division has however been rearing its ugly head in the senior team.
Among the shortlisted candidates was Anton Roux a 31-year-old South African who was born in the United States.
He does not have any experience in the field of play as a national team representative on the international scene. Roux however did not turn up for the interviews or respond to his shortlist letter.
Mangongo identified and nurtured Hamilton Masakadza, Tatenda Taibu, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Elton Chigumbura and Vusi Sibanda, among many others, and deserves to finish the work he started with them.
Mangongo won the ZC Coach of the Year award twice in 2009 and 2010 before winning the Coach of the Year award at the Annual National Sports Awards. He has also worked as a national selector among other various roles.
Tall and athletic, Andy Waller’s career suffered as a result of a spate of injuries and the demands of tending his tobacco farm.
A popular character, he was an entertaining batsman, an outstanding fielder, and a more than useful — if occasional — medium-pace bowler. A regular in the Zimbabwe one-day side from the mid 1980s — he appeared in the 1987, 1992 and 1996 World Cups but his Test debut didn’t come until he was 37. This was largely because of his reputation as something of a slogger, a tag he disproved with a patient 50 in his first Test against England in 1996-97.
His experience as a coach includes being the first coach of the Mid West Rhinos where he fell out favour with most senior players who included his talented son and national team all rounder Malcolm.
And finally younger brother to one of the most decorated coaches in present day world cricket trends England Director of Coaching Andy Flower, Grant an experienced top-order batsman who began his career as an opener who then slipped down the order. Grant had the stubborn temperament needed to play long innings, but was also a powerful hitter when required.
He was also a brilliant fielder anywhere close to the wicket, and a handy left-arm spinner at one-ends
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter