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I want to return and help — Strang

By Tinashe Kusema

BRYAN STRANG, one of Zimbabwe’s most underestimated bowlers of his time, has reiterated his desire to return to the country’s mainstream cricket and aid in the rebuilding process that the sport is currently going through.

A self-made left-arm seamer, whose reliance on guile and accuracy in place of genuine pace made him one of the toughest men to face, has been on a five-year journey of self-discovery that has seen him enjoying short stints in countries like Swaziland, South Africa and England.
However, though his heart and soul yearn to once again don the famous red, green and black jersey or help in the growth of the sport in some form or another, there is one nagging problem: Zimbabwe Cricket are yet to make any efforts to ask for his help.
“I returned home to Zimbabwe at the beginning of the year to sow my roots, so to speak, after being away for about three years. I missed this country with all its beauty and vastness, not to mention the rush, honour and pride of representing your country at the highest stage. I believe I can use my experience as a player to help with the current crop of players in some way or even coach the juniors.
“I have been doing some coaching, played for an English side, Ashtead, and done everything from manual labour in Swaziland to teaching in South Africa, but now it’s time I give back to the country that gave me so much.”
Born Bryan Colin Strang on June 9 1972, he played 26 Tests and 49 ODIs from 1995 to 2001 and he is one of the best bowlers the country has ever produced.
He comes from a rich cricketing background with his father a former first-class umpire, while his brother Paul is arguably one of the best spin bowlers the country has ever produced. Paul is now retired and coaching a New Zealand second-tier first-class team, Auckland Blues.
Bryan Strang’s claim to fame was bowling Matabeleland out, together with legendary seamer Eddo Brandes, for a national record low score in first-class cricket of 19 runs, taking 5 wickets for 6 in 2001.
He played his last game for Zimbabwe in July 2001 and in 2002 he moved to South Africa.
However, his career then took a plunge, which up to today he is yet to fully recover from, when in 2002-3 a combination of personal demons he was struggling with and the rebel era saw him give up the game.
“Firstly I would like to stress we knew that the future of Zimbabwean cricket lay in the young black cricketers who were coming up at the time, but our grievance was mainly centred on how they were being fast-tracked into the team at the expense of our places.
“Personally at that time I was going through some personal problems, which sportsmen usually go through, what with the pressures and highs of competitive sport. So quitting was an easy decision for me then.
“Things got worse and when I tried to come back again in 2004 and I got injured in a car accident which threatened to nearly ruin my career forever as I tore tendons in my bowling hand.”
It is at this point in time that divine intervention pulled Strang out of his slump and helped him get his life back on track.
“It is when I was in South Africa, upon a chance meeting with a little girl whose words of encouragement gave me a wake-up call and so began my rehabilitation. I was in South Africa working on a road and one afternoon, on my day off I went into town to do some business, around midday. As I was tired and hot I decided to take a few minutes to rest.
“At this point in time a little girl came by and told me not to worry because things were going to get better.
“The words rang in my head and forced me to make some life-altering decisions which led me back home and ready to give back what I could.”
Now Strang is teaching and coaching at Lilfordia School, where national selector Alistair Campbell works and expressed his desire to share his knowledge in the cause of the game.
“I am doing well coaching now and teaching which I love, but I want to contribute more.
“Hopefully I can be of use counselling the current crop of players or maybe coach in the junior structures. If needed to play I am more than willing as I feel fit and ready but it’s not really a priority like coaching which I really want to do,” went on Strang.