Bulawayo, Zimbabwe (AP) – Former Zimbabwe cricket captain Heath Streak, the only player from South Africa to complete more than 100 Test wickets, has died. he was 49 years old.
Streak’s wife, Nadine, confirmed her death on social media on Sunday. He reportedly had colon and liver cancer and had been under treatment in a South African hospital since May.
“In the early hours of Sunday, September 3, 2023, the love of my life and the father of my beautiful children, he was about to spend his last days in the family from home. Carried to the angels, and close ones,” Nadine Streak said in a statement.
Zimbabwe’s sports regulator, the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) and Zimbabwe cricket’s media department also confirmed the death.
“We can confirm that Mr Heath Streak passed away this morning,” the SRC announced on Sunday. “My deepest condolences to his family, friends and the cricket community.”
Former team-mate Henry Olonga, who earlier announced Heath’s death earlier, paid tribute.
“My heartfelt condolences to Nadine Streak and family,” Olonga wrote. “And to all who have had the pleasure of being influenced and inspired by Heath.”
Streak has made 65 tests and 189 one-day caps for Zimbabwe. He is Zimbabwe’s all-time leading wicket taker with 216 wickets in Test cricket and 239 in ODI cricket.
He has scored seven 5-wicket holes in his Test career and holds the record for Zimbabwe cricket in that category.
Streak retired from professional cricket in 2005 and was appointed as Zimbabwe’s bowling coach in 2009. In 2010, Streak, along with his former teammate Grant Flower, took over as Zimbabwe support his coach under former England cricketer Alan Butcher.
In 2013, his contract was not renewed due to financial reasons.
In April 2021, Streak received an eight-year ban from all cricket activity for violating the ICC’s anti-corruption guidelines. He was convicted of murdering a man named “Mr.” Please contact player X.
Streak received two Bitcoins worth approximately $35,000 and an iPhone in 2017 from the corrupt person. He has been accused of leaking inside information (non-public information) regarding Twenty20 franchise leagues, including Indian Premier League, Pakistan Super League and Afghanistan Premier League.
He denied the match-fixing allegations against himself, but accepted the ICC’s ban.
“Today is a tragic day for Zimbabwe cricket and for cricket in general,” Heath’s former Zimbabwe Pace bowling partner Gary Brent said on Sunday. “Streaky has been our bowling attacker for a long time and is arguably our greatest bowler of all time. We can all call him a friend.”
Zimbabwe test captain Sean Williams said the Streak “did more good than bad”.
“He left a huge void in a lot of people’s lives,” Williams said. “I’m sure there are many people crying all over the world.”
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