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Heath Streak

Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
FORMER Zimbabwe captain and current national team coach Heath Streak has proposed to construct an international cricket stadium in Harare. The world-class facility, to be known as the Heath Streak International Cricket Stadium, is expected to take shape at the Sunrise Sports Club in Ridgeview in the coming years.

The initiative is being spearheaded by Indian Sports Management icon Joseph Rego, who has joined hands with a number of local and international corporates through the Heath Streak International (Trust), which he also runs as chief executive and executive director.

The Heath Streak International, which has enjoyed substantial success with their grassroots cricket development project in Bulawayo, are looking for a bigger success story in Harare after they partnered Sunrise Sports Club for their second high-profile cricket development initiative. Rego said he was impressed by the potential for development at Sunrise Sports Club unlike in Bulawayo where they have faced some limitations.

“This is a ground with international specifications and we have the opportunity and potential to develop this ground to an international stadium, which has been Heath Streak’s dream to have an international cricket stadium which focuses on children and give of various age groups to play and get the opportunity to represent their country one day,” said Rego.

“To give back to the communities and the country all that he has achieved during his (Streak) glorious cricketing career and with a genuine intent and desire to shape a brighter world for the children of Africa, we are establishing our second initiative – a world class cricket facility in Harare which subsequently will turn into an international cricket stadium capable of hosting first class and international cricket in the coming years.”

Rego also announced they will be officially launching the Heath Streak School of Cricket at Sunrise this afternoon. Domestic cricket celebrities like Hamilton Masakadza, Elton Chigumbura, Ray Price and other invited international cricketers are expected to grace the event.

They will also conduct free coaching clinics with Streak for children between four and 16 years. The academy, which has short-listed experienced local and international coaches, will emphasise on a coaching approach geared towards enhancing the players’ technical skills and improving their abilities to appropriately and effectively apply themselves under match situations.

The project is also targeting to get 200 schools under its wings by December 2019 from underprivileged backgrounds and bring them under the banner of cricket development.

“I believe Zimbabwe lacks in the development of the sport. Emphasis on our structured grassroots level development programmes and the formation of various age-groups, identifying, nurturing and grooming genuine talent will take the game to another level. We have been extremely successful in Bulawayo in producing young cricket stars ripe for international stage five years from now.

“The Heath Streak School of Cricket will also inspire and motivate the girl child to get involved in playing cricket and engage in outreach programmes to support young talented girls to train and coach at the Academy. We have appointed former and current international cricketers and professional coaches capable of providing leadership, directions and quality programs which result in the development of the game,” said Rego.