Zimbabwe Cricket to appoint Steve Kirby as Chevrons’ bowling coach
The Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) team is set to announce the appointment of Steve Kirby as their new bowling coach.
Kirby, a former fast bowler, will be appointed as the new Chevron’s permanent coach, replacing Njabulo Ncube who has been in the position in the interim.
Ncube took over from Douglas Hondo whose contract with the team had expired.
Somerset County officially confirmed that their bowling coach, Kirby, will be leaving the club at the end of the English season to join Dave Houghton’s coached side the Chevrons.
“Somerset Bowling Coach, Steve Kirby will be leaving the Club at the end of the season to take up the position of Lead Bowling Coach for Zimbabwe,” the club wrote on their website on Wednesday.
Commenting on his appointment, Kirby said: “I’ve got aspirations to be the very best coach that I can be, and international cricket is something that I really want to be involved with.”
“I’ve worked really well with Dave Houghton previously when we are at Derbyshire and when this position presented itself, I felt that I couldn’t turn it down.
“The scale of the role is hugely exciting because I won’t just be working with the national XI, I’ll also be involved with the whole pathway structure across the country.”
Meanwhile, reacting to Kirby’s departure, Somerset’s director of cricket Andy Hurry said: “Steve’s dedication and commitment to the role and the club over the past two years has been outstanding.
“Since joining up with the staff in early 2021 he has built up some very strong relationships and has played a key role in the growth of our bowlers’ white-ball skills as well as being integral in overseeing the progression of a number of bowlers through to the first XI.”
Kirby will be reuniting with Houghton after having worked together at Derbyshire where the latter was the head coach.
He will be working with the Chevron’s bowler’s ahead of the T20 World Cup tournament in Australia in October.
Zimbabwe qualified for the T20 World Cup competition for the first time since 2016.
They clinched the ticket after beating Papua New Guinea in the semi final of the World Cup qualifications that were played at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo in July.
