The Sunday Mail
Brighton Zhawi
Within the local cricket circles, a joke is doing the rounds. They say if you want runs, go to Timoni. Such is the euphoria surrounding Munyaradzi Brendon Timoni.
Former Zimbabwe Cricket fitness trainer Sean Joshua Bell recently tweeted on Dcember 31: “Who threw more cricket balls in 2019? Every (Zimbabwe) national/franchise player knows the answer. Vote below.”
Bell voted and gave Timoni 100 percent, while “all the bowling machines got 0 percent”.
His vote might not be far-fetched as it is actually backed by statistics.
Blessing Muzarabani scored a maiden first-class half century (50) and also clinched the Eagles — Rangers thriller with a six, when Rangers wanted was a wicket for victory.
Muzarabani works with Timoni.
He is not the only one.
Zimbabwe’s arguably best batsman, Brendan Taylor, also works with Timoni. So does PJ Moor, Regis Chakabva, Sikandar Raza, Ryan Burl, Mary-Anne Musonda, Craig Ervine, Wellington Masakadza and Faraz Akram.
They all get throw-downs from Timoni.
So who is this Timoni that everyone is raving about? “He is a very humble and chilled guy,” said Chakabva, who recently scored his 15th first-class hundred against the Tuskers.
“He is very good during one-on-one training, and can give you a good volume of quality throw- downs as well as good feedback,” said Chakabva.
In Muzarabani’s eyes, Timoni is a great guy.
“He will make a good coach someday. He is very hardworking. “He knows how to coach and act around certain players. He has helped me improve my batting. “If he keeps doing this, he will end up being one of the best coaches in Zimbabwe.” Neville “Gagz’’ Madziva has also rediscovered his touch with the bat, with two fifties in three Logan Cup Games so far.
He reportedly took Timoni out for a meal after his recent two 50s against the Mountaineers.
“Thou shall not speak,” said Madziva with a laugh. “He is a hardworking fella. Even when hitting balls, he pushes you to the limits.
“He has helped me transform my game.
PJ Moor loves the fun he gets when training with his friend Timoni.
“He is very skilled with the side arm and can be extremely challenging. He has developed slower balls with the side arm too.
“I enjoy working with him because he is also my friend. We have a lot of fun in the nets when I train.” Even Burl, who is in the Bangladesh Premier League, appreciates Timoni’s ethics.
“He has helped tremendously, he is always at the grounds and is only a phone call away from a net session. He also helps with organising the nets and covers to ensure we have fit nets to play on. I appreciate his commitment to the game and the development of players.”
While this is Timoni in the eyes of his mates, there is one guy who knows him better.
“Timoni and I started three years ago. In fact, I was the first to work with him,” said Raza.
“He was a very hardworking kid.
“When I was at Eagles, I had an arrangement to give him allowances when we went for away games. Thanks to Eagles for allowing that. I would give him my allowance for the tour and he would give me extra throw-downs.
“I started working more with him outside my franchise and the relationship grew, my game grew and we stuck together as a team.
“He is a great asset.
“I am always busy with T20 leagues and international cricket and don’t like to take days off, so we have basically worked every day. Since I got back from Qatar, we have been working every day. “He basically had no Christmas, no Boxing Day and I didn’t even force him. I asked him if he was free and he said yes.
“Whenever people ask who I train with, I always mention Timoni, (Kuda) Munyede and Kuda (Chirume) as part of my team.
“They have helped me grow into a better cricketer,” said Raza, the ninth best ODI all-rounder in the world.
Timoni’s father, Stanley, is the history-making local coach with Eagles. He won all three trophies in the 2015/16 season.
Stanley is a proud and worried man.
“He is a good son and comes for advice. He has got the heart and he puts in the hours. We always talk of professionalism, especially on time management, and he comes with feedback.
“But it seems he has forgotten that he is a player, he needs to balance this. He needs to learn coaching through playing club cricket at the highest level,” said Stanley.
Said Timoni: “I do this to learn more cricket stuff, I do it for the love of cricket.”
Timoni is a first class cricketer with three caps and two list a games.
“That was my dream from day one. I pray to God that I will get more games.”
As a spectator during international matches, you can find Timoni in the visiting team’s changing room. “Chatting with guys like Kane Williamson, Neil Mckenzie, Mohammed Nabi and Mohammed Shazard has opened up my mind. These guys talk about cricket all the time, they have made it easy for me to grow. I got to understand cricket better due to our chats,” he said.
