Justin Sammons Named Head Coach of Zimbabwe's Senior Men's Cricket Team

On Wednesday, June 19, Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) announced that Justin Sammons has been appointed as the new head coach of the Zimbabwe senior men’s cricket team. This decision was made official during a recent board meeting.

Sammons takes on the role of head coach, more than six months after Dave Houghton resigned following Zimbabwe's failure to qualify for the Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. Sammons will be assisted by Dion Ebrahim, a former Zimbabwe international cricketer.

In the interim period after Houghton’s departure, Walter Chawaguta stepped in as the temporary head coach during Zimbabwe’s tour of Sri Lanka in January. Similarly, Stuart Matsikenyeri took on the interim role during the team’s tour of Bangladesh in May.

Sammons brings a wealth of experience, having been involved with South Africa's high-performance cricket programs and several domestic teams. He also served as the batting consultant for the South African national team from 2021 to 2023. Ebrahim, who has played 29 Test matches and 82 ODIs for Zimbabwe, pursued a coaching career in New Zealand and has worked with the New Zealand national team, the Black Caps. Zimbabwe Cricket mentioned that the rest of the coaching staff will be appointed in consultation with Sammons.

Tavengwa Mukuhlani, the chairman of Zimbabwe Cricket, expressed his enthusiasm about Sammons' appointment. Mukuhlani highlighted Sammons' extensive coaching background and his ability to develop young talent in South Africa. He praised Sammons for his dedication, passion, and strong values both on and off the field, believing these qualities make him the perfect candidate to lead Zimbabwe's cricket team forward.

Sammons expressed his honour at being chosen for the position, stating that it was a privilege to be appointed as the head coach of Zimbabwe’s senior men’s national team. He is eager to start working with the talented players in the squad and is looking forward to the journey ahead.

In addition to the changes in the senior team, ZC also revealed that former Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura will take on the role of head coach for the Zimbabwe men’s Under-19 team. Chigumbura will be supported by Rangarirai Norbert Manyande, who will serve as both assistant coach and batting coach. Manyande, who played first-class cricket in Zimbabwe before representing Namibia, brings significant experience to the role. Furthermore, Paul Adams, a former South African spinner, has been appointed as the bowling coach for the Under-19 team.