Clive Thabo Dube
SPORTS REPORTER
South African Lance Klusener has resigned as Zimbabwe senior men’s batting coach after taking the team to the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s Twenty20 Internationals (T20) World Cup 2022 finals slated for Australia.
Klusener leaves the post he held between 2016 to 2018. He had rejoined the national team again in March this year.
A statement issued last Friday by Zimbabwe Cricket said:
“Lance Klusener is leaving his role as Zimbabwe’s senior men’s Batting Coach with immediate effect after he reached a mutual agreement with Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC). According to his agent, the decision follows Klusener’s desire to pursue professional engagements around the globe which will impact his full-time availability for the national team’s programmes.”
Lance, nicknamed “Zulu” in the pitch due to his ability to speak the Zulu language fluently, made a name for himself in the cricket landscape as an all rounder with his bowling (right-arm fast-medium and batting skills (left handed). Lance Klusener is one of the pioneers who took South African cricket to the level it is today. In 1999 World Cup he almost single handed placed the Proteas in the final. He finished as South Africa’s highest ranking run-scorer with 281 runs, player of the series and his bowling tactics troubled the batsman. During his playing days he was believed to possess a golden arm as he crafted the ‘off-cutter’ which upsetted batsmen.
In 2000 he won the Wisden Cricketer of the year before retiring from international cricket in 2004 after playing against West Indies.
He however never played in the T20.
Klusener scored 3,576 runs in 171 ODIs for South Africa at an average of 41.10 and strike rate of 89.91. The 49 Tests he played, he scored 1,906 runs. As a bowler he took 192 wickets in ODIs.
The Chevrons were surely lucky to be coached by such an accomplished man with vast knowledge of the game, in and off the pitch.
Zimbabwe has lost its historic lusture of yesteryear as at the moment is ranked 10th in Tests, 13th in One Day Internationals (ODIs) and 11th in Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).
The Chevrons are in group B along side Ireland, West Indies and Scotland. Their first match is against Ireland next week Monday October 17th.