Zimbabwe cricket has a new bowling coach. Somerset Bowling Coach, Steve Kirby, is exiting Somerset to take up the post of lead bowling coach for Zimbabwe.
Kirby says while he loved coaching at his former club, he felt that the Zimbabwe job was too good to ignore: “I genuinely love the Club and I’m going to miss everyone immensely. I’ve built up some amazing relationships over the past two years and it’s been really pleasing to see some of the younger bowlers coming through into the first team.
“However, when this opportunity came along, I felt it was one that was too good to ignore. 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.”
Kirby joins Zimbabwe Cricket at a time when senior men’s team, the Chevrons, are distinguishing themselves. National sensation Sikandar Raza he has been nominated for the ICC Men’s Player of Month Award for August. The Chevrons have won against Australia, India and Bangladesh over the past few weeks.
Kirby should fit right in as he is no stranger to the Zimbabwe head coach Dave Houghton, and is looking forward to being more than a national team coach.
“I’ve worked really well with Dave Houghton previously when we were 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.
Kirby was a fast bowler for Somerset from 2011 to 2014, with over 180 wickets to his name and signed on as coach ahead of the 2021 season.
He says that he leaves Somerset with the best wishes all around and will serve with full passion up to the end.
“I’ve never been at a Club that’s as well supported as Somerset. We are unbelievably lucky to get such great backing. I’d like to thank the members and supporters for welcoming me as both a player and a coach, and we’ll be doing everything we can to win the last games of the season.”
Zimbabwe Cricket has not yet issued a statement concerning the appointment.
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