Former Zimbabwean cricketer and cricket coach Heath Streak has died. Streak’s death was announced by his wife, Nadine Streak, in a post on Facebook. She wrote:
“In the early hours of this morning, Sunday the 3rd of September 2023, the greatest love of my life and the father of my beautiful children, was carried to be with the Angels from his home where he wished to spend his last days surrounded by his family and closest loved ones. He was covered in love and peace and did not walk off the Park alone. Our souls are joined for eternity Streaky. Till I hold you again.”
Heath Streak represented Zimbabwe in 65 Tests and 189 ODIs between 1993 and 2005 before transitioning into coaching the national team.
Streak served as the pace-bowling coach for Bangladesh in a two-year stint from 2014, during which the Tigers managed to qualify for the knockout stage of the 2015 World Cup and won maiden ODI series against Pakistan, India, and South Africa. Â
In 2021 Streak was handed an eight-year ban from all cricketing activities for breaching the ICC’s anti-corruption policy. He was accusd of leaking inside-information about franchise T20 leagues that included the Indian Premier League. Streak did accept the ban but denied involvement in match-fixing.
In 2014, Streak founded the Heath Streak Academy to aid development and growth of cricket in Zimbabwe.
In May this year, Sean Williams, a current Zimbabwe cricketer and a close friend of Streak told Cricbuzz that the latter was battling colon and liver cancer. He was quoted as saying:
In a statement in May, Streak’s family said the former cricketer was undergoing treatment in South Africa and asked for privacy.