Test Captain Streak Quits

[pies4ever]

Test Captain Streak quits
From correspondents in Harare
April 3, 2004

ZIMBABWE captain Heath Streak resigned today and was immediately replaced by wicket-keeper Tatenda Taibu, the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) said.

Streak resigned after he allegedly made several demands concerning the team selection criteria and sought an immediate review of the selection panel, which the ZCU said they could not meet.

"Streak raised a number of issues and demanded that they be met by Monday or else he would resign from all forms of cricket," said the ZCU.

"Instead of accepting his demands, the ZCU board unanimously accepted his resignation from all forms of cricket with immediate effect."

Taibu, 20, becomes the new captain and will take charge of the team for the first time when Zimbabwe plays against against Sri Lanka in two weeks time.

Streak presented the cricket union's board of directors with his ultimatum during their quarterly meeting today.

He had wanted the selection panel to be reduced from five to four, all of whom should have played first class or Test cricket.

"None of the black directors currently running the game in the country meet these criteria," said ZCU in a statement.

"Streak said he had no confidence in the teams being selected and was under stress as he was doubling up as the players' representative since the players were continuously presenting grievances to him."

ZCU said earlier in the week Streak had expressed lack of confidence in the team's coach Geoff Marsh accusing him of misrepresenting him to the selectors.

"The directors expressed anger at the move taken by Streak saying that one of the conditions of his assuming the post was that he would captain any side selected," said ZCU.

The directors also considered Zimbabwe's poor performance against Bangladesh early this year.

Streak's resignation came as two International Cricket Council chiefs concluded their visit to Harare today as the debate over England's proposed tour later this year rumbled on.

Streak, who has played 59 Tests and 183 one-dayers, was recently signed by county outfit Warwickshire for the coming season.

He made his international debut against Pakistan in 1993/94 and has career Test wickets of 202 and best bowling figures of 6-87. His top Test score was 127 not out.

Streak also took 234 one-day wickets with a best of 5-32 and hit 2752 runs with a highest score of 79 not out.

Agence France-Presse


cheers bryan..!!

[labrooy]

I can understand Heath Streak's situation. The team has gone backwards in recent years with Streak being their only bowler and their best batsman. He can only carry the team for so long. With him out of the side I can see Zimbabwe cricket going backwards even faster. The powers that be in Bangladesh must be looking forward to their next meeting with great anticipation.

[Donny]

Wow. This is a shock.

Andy Flower, Henry Olonga and now Heath Streak. What a great pity these excellent cricketers are now lost to Zimbabwean cricket.

Congratulations to Tatendu Taibu. Although he gets the job by default, it's still a great achievement to be captaining your national team as a 20 year old.

[Johnson#26]

Thats sad. Heath Streak is a wonderful cricketer who held Zimbabwian cricket up for a fair while.

[commonwombat]

One can only put up with so much pressure and he's reached his breaking point. Zimbabwe cricket has become a political minefield with all too many needless and talented casualties.

Streak was a superb cricketer. A pace bowler of v high quality who has carried their pace attack for a decade and has by sad necessity been overbowled. He was a superb athlete with one of the finest arms in intl cricket.

For much of his career, he disappointed and underperformed with the bat. It was, ironically, the captaincy which brought about greater responsibilty and returns with the bat.

Zimbabwe can ill afford the loss of any outstanding talent let alone someone of the calibre of Streak. Taibu is a talented young keeper ( one of the black players who's talent does merit selection) and a doughty competitor with the bat but the captaincy is too much to ask.

[LeonMcS]

Have to agree, one of the most underrated cricketers of the past decade. He deserves a couple of season over here playing shield cricket to set him up for retirement. Send him to Tassie!

[commonwombat]

Streak's resignation could well be the straw that broke the camel's back. It appears that others may be looking at jumping ship too and that Streak has been the glue that has stopped a wholesale exodus.

Link: http://aus.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2004/APR/116722_ZIM_04APR2004.html

[Blanch]

WA are looking for quicks...cmon Clarkey, get on the phone to the man!

[The Prototype]

Things are going from bad to worse for Zimbabwe, going to be a long time before they will be able to field a strong side and be able to beat the big sides. It's a shame, because Streak was a very good cricketer, and was a good captain, too bad he didn't have much to work with. Good luck Streak.

[London Dave]

There goes the family farm!

[commonwombat]

Curiouser and curiouser.

More news out of that murky cess-pit aka nown as Zimbabwe cricket politics. It appears that Heath Streak DID NOT resign.

He and the Zimbabwe Cricket Union had been in dispute over selction policy amongst other things for some time. He had lodged some demands that they refused to accept and have stripped him of the captaincy in a somewhat unsavoury manner.

Link: http://aus.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2004/APR/118070_ZIM_06APR2004.html

[London Dave]

trying to save the farm, when will people learn, you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas!

[The Prototype]

[LeonMcS]

I downloaded this thread to read that Proto? Sheeesh

[The Prototype]