Kevin Curran leaves for heavenly abode

Zeenews Sports Bureau

New Delhi: Former Zimbabwe all-rounder and national coach Kevin Curran passed away this morning in Mutare at the age of 53. According to a statement by Zimbabwe Cricket, he collapsed while jogging but details regarding the exact cause of his death are yet to be determined. Kevin was the coach of the Mashonaland Eagles team and was in Mutare preparing for their T20 match against Mountaineers this Wednesday. Curran’s death comes as a huge shock and loss to the cricket fraternity in Zimbabwe. Expressing deep regret at the shocking development Zimbabwe Cricket’s managing director Wilfred Mukondiwa in a statement to espncricinfo said, "We are still in shock, Kevin was the epitome of health and we have yet to make sense of this tragic loss." He also lauded the fiery all-rounder’s contribution to the game in Zimbabwe as a player and a coach. He said, "KC`s past and continued contribution to the game of cricket is unquestionable and dates as far back as his playing days up until the phenomenal work he had been doing at Mash Eagles." Mash Eagles chief executive officer, Vimbai Mapukute, spoke highly of Curran’s passion for the game. "I have yet to meet a man more passionate about cricket in this country, KC had put his heart and soul into developing our franchise and had great plans for our high performance gym and other facilities... his passing will leave a huge void at Mash Eagles and I feel that I have not only lost a key business ally but a friend as well." Curran made his international debut in the 1983 World Cup and played 11 matches for Zimbabwe. He scored a total of 287 runs with an average of 26.09 and picked up 9 wickets with the best figures of 3 for 65. Curran was one of the most successful overseas players in English domestic cricket where he scored 1000 runs in a season five times. The all-rounder’s next stint in Zimbabwe Cricket was as the director of coaching at the CFX Cricket academy in Harare. Later he replaced Phil Simmons as the coach of the national team and held the position for 2 years. He was also in charge of the Zimbabwe Under-19 squad during the World Cup in 2010.