The Sunday Mail
Don Makanyanga
Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) fraternity were yesterday united in mourning and gave a befitting send-off to Chevrons fielding coach Shepherd Makunura, who was buried at Warren Hills Cemetery in Harare.
ZC managing director Givemore Makoni led the mourners, who included administrators, players, members of the Chevrons technical team, officials, friends and the Makunura family.
Hordes of people braved the rainy weather to pay their last respects to Zimbabwe cricket’s unsung hero.
Makunura, who was 46, died at a private hospital in Harare on Thursday.
“He is a legend and a hero and it is a huge loss. He has left a big void that cannot be easily filled by anyone,” said Makoni.
Makoni described Makunura as a champion of the emancipation of local cricketers, having played a role in the formation of Takashinga club in Highfield, which has over the years provided most of the players who have gone on to feature at the international level.
“He was a champion of black cricket and played a part in the formation of Takashinga, and the results are there for everyone to see because, if you look at the number of kids who have passed through his hands, they are countless.
“You have kids playing international cricket, kids playing provincial cricket and a number plying their trade outside.
“He is a true hero of our cricket,” said Makoni.
Chevrons skipper Craig Ervine described Makunura as “a humble guy whose services in the national team will be sorely missed.
“The loss of Sheppy (Makunura) has a huge impact on Zimbabwe Cricket and he will be sorely missed both at the national team level and franchise level for the rest of our lives.
“He had a lot of influence on a lot of guys and he was one person who did not look at the background of anyone.
“He treated all cricketers the same and gave sound advice when you approached him,” Ervine said.
Zimbabwe senior team batter Innocent Kaia, a product of Makunura’s development thrust, having been mentored by the late coach since the age of 12, said he would play his part to ensure that the late fielding coach’s legacy lives on.
“To me, he was a father figure, and I can attribute my rise in cricket to him.
“I will play my part to see that his legacy lives on,” said Kaia.
In his early coaching days, Makunura had stints in charge of the Zimbabwe Under-14 squad (2005-2007) and the national Under-19 side between 2008 and 2010.
Makunura also made history with Mountaineers by becoming the first coach in Zimbabwe to win three consecutive Logan Cup titles between 2017 and 2019.
He also won the ultimate prize in domestic club cricket with Rocks the following season.
At the time of his death, Makunura was the Southern Rocks coach.
As part of honouring the cricket hero, ZC have instructed that, before all games that will be played today, a moment of silence will be observed.
Players and officials have also asked to wear black armbands as a mark of respect for the late Makunura.
Despite being thrown into mourning following the death of their coach, Southern Rocks will take to the field as they face Mega Mountaineers in a Logan Cup match at Harare Sports Club.
The decision to go ahead with the match has reportedly received widespread condemnation from the local cricketers, who felt that Southern Rocks should have been accorded more time to mourn their coach.
