Dav Whatmore is expected to be appointed as Zimbabwe’s coach ahead of the 2015 World Cup, replacing Stephen Mangongo who was sacked from the position earlier in December after a five-month tenure
Firdose Moonda28-Dec-2014Dav Whatmore is set to be unveiled as Zimbabwe’s coach ahead of the 2015 World Cup, replacing Stephen Mangongo who was sacked from the position earlier in December after a five-month tenure, ESPNcricinfo understands.The support staff will also include a new batting coach, who is yet to be named, and Douglas Hondo as bowling coach, with an extension to Whatmore’s deal due to be negotiated after the World Cup.The new coach’s primary task will be to ensure Zimbabwe have a better tournament than they did in 2011, where they only managed to beat the Associates in their group and lost heavily against the other Full Members. Whatmore will have little over a month to prepare Zimbabwe ahead of the showpiece event in Australia and New Zealand, and he will be doing so at a Dubai-based academy as well as in their home country. Zimbabwe will also play four 50-over games with Canada as part of their World Cup preparations.Whatmore has previously been in charge of Asian sides Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Under Whatmore, Sri Lanka won the 1996 World Cup and Pakistan claimed the 2012 Asia Cup. During the 2007 World Cup, Whatmore led Bangladesh to victories over India and South Africa, helping the team reach the Super Eights.Brendan Taylor welcomed Whatmore’s appointment and said that he would be a “great addition” to the Zimbabwe set-up. “Welcome to @dfwhatmore! A great addition to Zimbabwe cricket. Certainly myself and the players are looking forward to working with him,” Taylor tweeted.Since 2000, Zimbabwe have lurched from one crisis to another – most notably a six-year self-imposed exile from the longest format. After their Test comeback in 2011, they have enjoyed limited success including wins over Bangladesh and Pakistan, and an ODI victory over Australia, but they have continued to struggle away from home.Zimbabwe were blanked 8-0 on their recent tour of Bangladesh, in which they lost all three Tests and all five ODIs – a result that led to Mangongo’s sacking. They have only been on two other tours in the last three years, to New Zealand and West Indies, and lost every match in all formats on both those visits. Their domestic game, meanwhile, has been marred by strikes over non-payment of salaries, and the financial situation still remains unstable.It is also expected that former Zimbabwe captain Alistair Campbell will rejoin ZC, after resigning as chairman of selectors in 2011. He is likely to return as the board’s managing director of cricket, essentially an overseeing role. Givemore Makoni will retain his position as convener of selectors over a panel which will include the coach, Hondo, the captain Elton Chigumbura, and Babu Memon, a long-serving administrator and former team manager.