Heath Streak died on September 3, 2023, aged 49. He had more than 200 wickets in both Tests and ODIs, and nearly 5,000 runs across the two formats. He was remembered in the 2024 Wisden Almanack.
STREAK, HEATH HILTON, who died of colon and liver cancer on September 3, aged 49, was the leader of Zimbabwe’s attack in 65 Tests and 187 ODIs, establishing national wicket-taking records in both formats. He was one of his country’s greatest cricketers, respected as much for his unflagging commitment as his five-fors, his hard-hitting runs down the order and, before back injuries and workload took their toll, his predatory presence in the covers. “He was a genuinely world-class fast bowler,” said his former team-mate Andy Flower. Streak, the only man to both take 100 Test wickets and pass 1,000 runs for Zimbabwe, had two spells as captain, and tried to act as a unifying force in troubled times, but became mired in politics and disputes with the governing body.
His legacy was tainted, however, by an eight-year ban imposed by the ICC in 2021 for five breaches of the anti-corruption code, after passing on betting information and contact details of players to Deepak Agarwal, an Indian businessman identified as a “potential corrupter”. Streak accepted a Bitcoin payment of $35,000. He apologised and took full responsibility, claiming he was unaware that Agarwal – who he believed was interested in setting up a T20 league in Zimbabwe – was connected with illegal gambling: “I was not involved in any match-fixing, spot-fixing or attempts to influence a game or share information from a change-room during a match at any time in our relationship.” Flower spoke for many: “I was astounded when I heard about this. I can’t believe Heath would have knowingly got involved in anything to do with influencing matches.”
His admirers preferred to remember his exploits as a cricketer. At Lord’s in 2000, as his team were thrashed by England, Streak took 6-87. A memorable duel with the Zimbabwe-born Graeme Hick, who went on to a century, earned Streak ovations each time he returned to field in front of the Warner Stand. “At his peak he bowled 140kph-plus, swung it away and got bounce,” said Flower. “He could also bowl an off-cutter that was not a slower ball. He was very accurate, which meant we sometimes used him as a stock bowler, meaning he was often overworked.”
At 6ft 1in, Streak was not especially tall for a fast bowler, but he was muscular and immensely strong, earning the nickname “Stack”. He had been a rugby full-back as a boy, and retained an imposing stature. But he still moved smoothly in the field – “he reminded me of a big cat,” said Flower. Mark Nicholas, his captain at Hampshire in 1995, added: “He fielded as if he were fighting a war.” As for his batting, Streak did not pay full attention to his prowess until later in his career, but ended with a first-class average of 26.
The son of Denis, who played for Rhodesia, and appeared alongside Heath in a first-class game in 1996, and Sheona, a hockey international, Streak grew up on the large family farm, founded by his English great-grandfather, near the village of Turk Mine in Matabeleland, 35 miles from Bulawayo. At a young age, he became fluent in Ndebele, which proved valuable in his dealings with Zimbabwe’s black players. Seam bowler Chris Mpofu recalled: “When the team went to his farm, we would find him speaking Ndebele to his dad. It was actually pleasing to see white people love something that is part of us and our culture.”
In March 1993, aged 19, Streak made his first-class debut for Zimbabwe B against a touring Kent side. That summer, nearly a year after they had been granted Test status, he came to England with a Zimbabwean touring party. By the end of the year, still a teenager, he became a Test player, winning his first cap against Pakistan at Karachi. He bowled 39 wicketless overs, but had better luck in the next game, at Rawalpindi, with match figures of 8-114. He was also central to Zimbabwe’s first Test victory, at the 11th attempt, taking 6-90 and 3-15 as Pakistan were beaten by an innings at Harare early in 1995. “Heath Streak has developed into a seamer who would probably get into any Test side bar West Indies,” wrote Geoffrey Dean in The Daily Telegraph.
Further victories proved hard to come by, but Zimbabwe became tough, resilient opponents, as England found in 1996/97, when both Tests were drawn. In the winter of 1998-99, they defeated India in a one-off Test in Harare, and followed up with a 1-0 win in a three-match series in Pakistan. Streak took over the captaincy in 2000, and led his team to another notable victory in 2001, against India at Harare, to square a two-match series. His seven wickets included Sachin Tendulkar in both innings. But the team were entering a period of change as the Zimbabwe Cricket Union began to push for more players of colour. The seniors believed that few players were ready for promotion, and that forcing their inclusion would cause long-term harm. Around the same time, president Robert Mugabe’s programme of seizing land owned by white families sent the country into turmoil and economic decline. The Streak family lost 70 per cent of their land – Denis was briefly jailed for protesting – but they retained enough to run a farm, safari park and primary school they had built. In 2022, Heath told the writer Firdose Moonda: “I believe we are very lucky to have a farm, so we will just crack on with what we have left. My dad and I are very committed to the farm and community.”
In October 2001, he resigned as captain, three days before the start of a one-day tri-series in Sharjah. But he was back in charge for the 2003 World Cup, which Zimbabwe co-hosted, and was criticised for not joining the black-armband protests against Mugabe staged by Flower and Henry Olonga. “People have their choices,” said Streak. “I do have opinions, and I have been affected both politically and economically by what is going on. But I don’t think it’s a good idea to make a big song and dance over cricket because of what is happening politically. People may not like that, but it doesn’t mean I’m insensitive to the issues.” He also led the team on a troubled tour of England in 2003, when they were bested in both Tests. Streak’s efforts to inspire a faltering team were never in doubt: against West Indies at Harare that November, he scored an unbeaten Test hundred from No. 8.
In April 2004, he threatened to resign for a second time during a stand-off with the board. Officials called his bluff, and he quit. The rows were not just over transformation: the players frequently went unpaid. “I was fed up of telling quality players they didn’t deserve to be in the team when we all knew that was false,” he recalled. “Our meetings have been held in such a bad spirit. There have been tempers and people walking out and shouting and banging on tables.” His resignation caused the mass departure of 13 white players. Even so, he returned to play in six further Tests in 2005 under the captaincy of Tatenda Taibu. Zimbabwe were routinely hammered but, in his final match, against India at Harare, he took 6-73, his best Test figures – in a 10-wicket defeat.
Streak had two spells in county cricket. After a decent season at Hampshire, where he took 52 first-class wickets at 27, he had more success at Warwickshire between 2004 and 2007. On his Championship debut, against Northamptonshire at Edgbaston, he had match figures of 13-158, eclipsing a county record established more than a century earlier; that summer, Warwickshire won the title. He was appointed club captain in 2006 but, increasingly troubled by a back injury, resigned early the following season. He was involved in setting up the unauthorised Indian Cricket League in 2008, and had spells as bowling coach with Scotland, Somerset and Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.
Streak was always drawn back to Zimbabwe. “He was a boy from the bush, and he loved being back on the farm,” said Dean, who became a close friend. Streak was appointed national coach in 2016, and felt the team were making steady progress, but he was sacked when they failed to reach the 2019 World Cup after losing a qualifier to the UAE. Olonga, who prematurely announced his death on Twitter in August, called him a “titan”, while Wasim Akram saluted his “fierce competitive nature”. Tavengwa Mukuhlani, chairman of Zimbabwe Cricket, said: “He played with passion, spirit and was nothing less than an inspirational figure who raised our flag high and touched lives within the sport and beyond.”
On the day of his death, there was a minute’s silence before the start of Hampshire’s Championship match against Somerset. Streak had been optimistic that a treatment on his cancers was going well, and a few weeks before his death represented his country at fishing against South Africa at Lake Mutirikwi. To his great pride, Zimbabwe won.
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