Zimbabwe cricket great Heath Streak dies aged 49

AFP | Johannesburg     

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Heath Streak, one of Zimbabwe’s greatest cricketers, died yesterday aged 49, his wife said in a social media post. He had been battling colon and liver cancer.

“In the early hours of this morning, Sunday 3 September, the greatest love of my life and the father of my beautiful children, was carried to be with the angels from his home where he wished to spend his last days surrounded by his family and closest loved ones,” Nadine Streak wrote.

A family member told AFP Streak died on his cattle farm 55 kilometres (34 miles) north east of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second most populous city.

“Heath had travelled to South Africa several times each month for treatment. At home, he spent much of his time fishing and farming,” said the member, who requested anonymity.

Streak was an outstanding fast bowler and capable batsman. He was a key member of Zimbabwe teams that were competitive against cricket’s bigger nations in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

His cricket career ended in ignominy, however, when he was banned for eight years for breaching the International Cricket Council (ICC) anti-corruption code. It was announced in May this year that Streak was seriously ill -- and it was reported in August that he had died, following a message on social media from former teammate Henry Olonga.

Streak himself was quick to assert that he was still alive, but not before numerous tributes by former teammates and opponents.