BY DANIEL NHAKANISO
NEW Zealand-based former Zimbabwe cricket star Dion Ebrahim says he harbours ambitions of being involved in the revival of local cricket as a coach in the future despite the unsavoury manner in which his international career ended 16 years ago.
The 40-year-old former Falcon College pupil, who is now one of the most highly rated younger coaches in the island nation in Oceania, played international cricket for Zimbabwe between 2001 and 2005, featuring in 26 Tests and 82 One-Day Internationals (ODIs).
His Chevrons career was, however, cut short in 2006 when he was not offered a contract by Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) despite being one of the most senior players remaining in the side, following a boycott by most senior white players a year earlier.
He headed to England, initially, playing league cricket and working as a real estate salesman, before briefly returning to Zimbabwean domestic cricket in 2010, but his dreams of playing for the country again vanished after being overlooked for national team selection.
His non-selection was attributed to the clashes he had with the ZC administrators at the time in a bid to recover his outstanding match fees.
Despite the manner in which his Zimbabwe career abruptly ended, Ebrahim says he harbours no ill feelings and would be willing to contribute to the domestic game in the future if approached.
The former Zimbabwe star revealed this in an interview last week while reflecting on his time as captain of English side Stony Stratford CC who play in the Northants Premier Division.
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“I know they are probably bridges that were burnt back in Zimbabwe, which could prevent me from going back and being involved,” Ebrahim said.
“That still doesn’t diminish the desire for me, or let me say a burning passion to go back to the country that you’re from. I know at some stage I’ll have to go overseas to further my coaching ambitions. I still harbour hopes and desires to be involved with Zimbabwe.”
Now based in Napier, a coastal city on New Zealand’s North Island, the ambitious and confident Ebrahim has been on a gradual rise in the coaching ranks in the island country.
Ebrahim has coached at almost all levels of cricket in New Zealand, from schools, to provincial and national age group levels.
Recently he was handed a new top coaching role at New Zealand first-class cricket side Central Districts, which will see him play an important role in developing the next generation of Black Caps stars.
He, however, admits that he has lost track of the developments within local cricket due to his commitments in New Zealand.
“It’s quite sad and unfortunate for me because I have almost detached myself from Zimbabwe not because I’m bitter or anything like that, but because I’ve become so heavily invested in cricket here in New Zealand and developing the players here and being part of the programmes here,” Ebrahim said.
He added: “In doing so, I’ve kind of, I wouldn’t say cut ties, but I’m solely focused on what’s happening here. I still have a number of friends involved in the game in Zimbabwe and a number of contacts there that I communicate with, but I don’t spend too much time with whats happening there although there’s still a part of me or a desire to at some stage or time help or contribute to the resurgence or re-establishment of Zimbabwe cricket in some shape, way or form,” Ebrahim said.
Ebrahim has been based in New Zealand since 2006, when he joined Taranaki in the Hawke Cup where he played 51 times and broke the association’s record for the most centuries during that time.
He got his first taste of coaching with New Plymouth Boys’ High School in New Zealand from 2013 to 2015.
Ebrahim also had coaching stints in India and England with the Mumbai-based Global Cricket School and Marylebone Cricket Club respectively in 2017 and 2018 before returning to take up the role of head coach of New Zealand’s Development Squad.
The former Chevrons opener is married to New Zealand national women’s cricket team player Kate Ellen Broadmore.
