Zimbabwe's Masakadza handed new Director of Cricket role

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe have appointed recently retired former national team captain Hamilton Masakadza as their new Director of Cricket, a new all-powerful role aimed at improving the way the organisation develops the game on and off the pitch. Masakadza will take up the position on Nov. 1 and will be “accountable for the recruitment, management and interaction of senior cricket technical staff within the cricket affairs department”, said a Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) statement on Wednesday. The decision to appoint a Director of Cricket was made at a ZC board meeting in August as the country battled with financial challenges, a brief international suspension for government interference and poor performances on the pitch. “This is a key appointment that clearly indicates our desire to strengthen our cricket across all levels while also improving the game administratively,” ZC Chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani said. Former batting all-rounder Masakadza played 313 matches across all three formats for Zimbabwe and retired last month after 18 years on the international circuit.