Zimeye
October 30 2015
By Senator David Coltart
I have just been advised that Andrew Waller has been fired as specialist batting coach at Zimbabwe Cricket. The same report says that Bowling coach Dougie Hondo has been appointed coach of the A team.
If this report is true it is an absolute travesty and I am afraid further evidence of a not-so-subtle racist agenda by the new Zimbabwe Cricket Board which took over from Wilson Manase a few months ago, which is seemingly determined to rid cricket of every last Zimbabwean white from the set up.
From the statistics I have listed below it is clear that if anything under Waller’s coaching our main batsmen, with the sole exception of Hamilton Masakadza, have actually improved their performances substantially. Indeed an analysis of most of the games played this year shows that we have actually batted well but generally have been let down by very poor bowling performances.
That was certainly the case yesterday against Afghanistan when our batsmen posted a good total, which our bowlers couldn’t defend. That was definitely the case in the World Cup where once again in most matches our batsmen performed brilliantly, only to be let down, time and time again, by our bowlers in the last 10 overs.
There is no more certain evidence than these raw statistics. Under Waller’s tenure Chamu has dramatically improved his scoring average from a career average of 25 to 38 under Waller. Likewise Raza, Williams and captain Elton Chigumbura have all seen significantly improved performances. Only Hamilton has slipped marginally amongst our top batsmen.
So the question then arises – if raw statistics show an improvement in their performances on what possible basis can this Board argue that Waller should be fired? Sadly this action must be seen in the same light as the previous (i.e. prior to the Manase Board) hardline Board’s decisions to get rid of Grant Flower and Heath Streak, both of whom as well performed brilliantly for Zimbabwe Cricket. It must be seen in the same light as the move to remove key responsibilities from Alastair Campbell, leading to his resignation.
No doubt the hardliners will bring back the likes of Stephen Mangongo into the coaching set up, with deleterious consequences. I am still in contact with many national players, of all races, and they are distressed by the prospect of a return to Mangongo’s disastrous coaching regime.
The disastrous results against Afghanistan was not Waller’s fault as this disingenuous Board would have the Nation believe. It is the result of falling levels of confidence within the team caused by the realisation that this Board is seemingly determined to take Zimbabwe back to the bleak years prior to Wilson Manase’s ascendancy to the Chairmanship.
The ICC bans all forms of racism in Cricket. Sadly racism has reared its ugly head again and we now look to the ICC to investigate these allegations and deal with them.
Player Average under Waller Innings Career Av List A Av
Chamu 38 23 25 25
Hamilton 26 16 28 32
Raza 40 23 34 34
Sean 40 22 33 30
Elton 35 21 26 28
Craig 44 16 38 38
Richmond 24 16 23 22
David Coltart is a former Minister of Education Sports and culture and wrote this in his personal capacity.