The Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) Board has named South African Justin Sammons as Head Coach of the Zimbabwe Senior Men’s National team with immediate effect. He will be joined by former Zimbabwe international Dion Ebrahim who is coming in as Assistant Coach.

Sammons, who over the years has done sterling work with South Africa’s high performance programme as well as with several domestic sides, was part of the Proteas technical team as batting consultant between 2021 and 2023.

ZC Chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani said: “We are delighted to confirm Justin as Head Coach of the Zimbabwe Senior Men’s National Team. “He brings a wealth of coaching experience and a reputation of identifying, nurturing and developing some of the best young talent in South Africa. “His hard-working and passionate approach as well as sense of values on and off the pitch make him the ideal person to take us forward.”

An elated Sammons said: “It is an absolute privilege to be appointed as the Zimbabwe Senior Men’s National Team Head Coach. “I look forward to the road ahead and I am excited to start working with this talented group of players.”

His assistant, Ebrahim, represented Zimbabwe in 29 Tests and 82 one-day internationals before he later pursued a coaching career in New Zealand where has been involved at the highest level with the Black Caps. The rest of the technical staff for the senior men’s side will be appointed in consultation with Sammons.

ZC has also announced former Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura as Head Coach of the Zimbabwe Under-19 Men’s National Team. Rangarirai Norbert Manyande, who played first-class cricket in Zimbabwe before he went on to feature for Namibia, was named as his Assistant and Batting Coach, while former South Africa star Paul Adams will be the Bowling Coach.

These appointments, which followed a rigorous recruitment process, were confirmed during a ZC Board meeting held this Wednesday.