Zimbabwe: Curran to Coach Mash Eagles

Kevin Mapasure

17 June 2011

Stanbic T20 champions Mashonaland Eagles have settled for former national team coach Kevin Curran as their new coach for the upcoming season.

The Harare-based side has adopted a policy that will see them look no further than the local market.

A deal has already been thrashed out between the franchise and the former national team coach as the team aims to improve on their mediocre performance last season in the Met Bank Pro-40 and the Castle Lager Logan Cup, although they were brilliant in the 20-over tournament.

Eagles were being coached by former Proteas bowler Andrew Hall who doubled as a player last season, but they have decided not to renew his coaching contract this term.

Sources at the franchise said that they were not happy with the conduct of some of the foreign players, some of whom did not see out the end of the season despite being contracted for a year.

Mashonaland Eagles will aim to promote local talent as promising players were failing to get opportunities because of the foreign players, who were on h high wages.

Eagle’s chief executive officer, Vimbai Mapukute said that they were yet to decide their new coach.

But sources told IndependentSport that a decision had already been made and they were already planning for the new season.

Curran has already drawn up a list of players the franchise will be looking to recruit for next term. All players’ contracts’ expired at the end of last season and they are free to negotiate with anyone who brings them an offer.

Curran’s wish list notably includes opening batsmen Tino Mawoyo and Sikandar Raza Butt, and national team hopeful and fast bowler Tinashe Panyangara.

Eagles are looking to start negotiating with players early so that they can secure their targets before contract dealing hots up in the next two months with the local season starting in September.

The clubs foreign player policy would rule out the possibility of them retaining the likes of Hall and Nick Compton, their stars when they claimed the T-20 championship in front of a capacity crowd at Harare Sports Club last November. Compton has expressed his desire to return and possibly play for Zimbabwe.

AllAfrica – All the Time