Cricket news: Chris Harris likely to take up Zimbabwe U-19 coach position
Former New Zealand all-rounder, Chris Harris, is all set to join Zimbabwe cricket team as its national coach. Harris is the third international cricketer joining the Zimbabwe cricket as coach after former fast bowlers Allan Donald and Jason Gillespie who
had taken up Zimbabwe’s domestic coaching assignments last month.
The Zimbabwe cricket is likely to offer the New Zealander a two-year contract to coach its Under-19 team. The deal between Harris and the Zimbabwe board is expected to be finalized by the end of this week.
40 years old all-rounder confirmed yesterday about the deal he is finalising with Zimbabwe cricket team these days. Harris told the media reporters that he has been exchanging information with the board officials of Zimbabwe and is pretty close to the final
terms.
Harris’ last appearance for Black Caps came back in December 2004 against Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Even after leaving the national team of New Zealand, Harris continued playing domestic cricket for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Canterbury-c775.
A fine left-handed middle-order batsman and right-arm slow-medium bowler of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Hyderabad-c792 Heroes in the ICL (Indian Cricket League).
The folk-hero of New Zealand cricket was initially uncertain about his coaching capabilities told the media men that coaching at international level became a prospect while he was playing in England earlier this year. "Eventually I decided this was the path
I wanted to go down to stay in cricket and the offer to coach a national youth team was too good to turn down."
The Burnside-West University cricket club had earlier offered Harris to be the player-coach for them and the offer was duly accepted by the prolific all-rounder but the contract seems unlikely to go ahead, as the Zimbabwe deal come through.
"I've told them I probably won't be able to go ahead unless it fell over. It was just one of those things."
Chris Harris, born on November 20, 1969 in Christchurch, started his international career in November 1990 when he played his ODI debut against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 at Sydney – the same team and the venue that witnessed his last ODI appearance 14 years later on December
8, 2004. His 250 one-day appearances earned him a tally of 4379 runs, including one century and 16 half centuries. He also picked up 203 wickets after delivering 10667 deliveries with a career-best performance of 5 for 42.
The promising all-round performer earned his maiden Test cap two years later, in November 1992 against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758. After playing 23 test matches, Chris Harris has compiled 777 runs at an average of 20.44. He has also picked 16 test wickets from 2560 balls.
The political conditions in Zimbabwe are quite unstable but the New Zealander has shown contentment over the security arrangements being made by the national selector and former Zimbabwe player Alistair http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Campbell-c49176 for him.
Talking about the tough time that Zimbabwe cricket has faced in the past due to political instability Harris said that it is exhilarating for the side to get back to the international arenas.
"I think it's exciting for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Zimbabwe-c3045 to be getting back to international cricket. They have had some tough times but I'd like to be part of that," Harris said.
The coaching assignments that Harris is expecting to work upon during his expected 2-year tenure with the under-19 team involves preparing them for the 2012 Youth World Cup. Harris is also expected to participate in the domestic T20 championship league of
Zimbabwe. The all-rounder, in the future, might be offering his assistance to the senior side of Zimbabwe as well.
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