The Sunday Mail
Tinashe Kusema
Deputy Sports Editor
SHE might not have the pedigree or power of Belinda Clark or Debbie Hockley, but Zimbabwe Cricket seem to have made the right call in not only electing to have a women’s selection panel, but handing over the reins to Julia Chibhabha.
Now, the fact one has to google to ascertain who Clark and Hockley are is a travesty on its own.
The two are arguably among some of the recognisable faces in global women’s cricket, and there is an argument to be made that Chibhabha deserves to be viewed in the same class.
Clark, who played 118 One Day Internationals and 15 Tests for Australia, was the first woman to score a double century in the limited overs game and got inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011.
Upon her retirement in 2015, she took over as manager of Australia Cricket.
Hockley, too, is a Hall of Famer, having a high score of 126 and an average of 52.04 during her playing days.
She was appointed a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
In 2016, she became the first woman to be appointed president of New Zealand Cricket.
But Chibhabha is no slouch either, with some able to argue that the 37-year-old could well be the face of women’s cricket in Zimbabwe.
A member of the ground-breaking class of women’s cricket in Zimbabwe, Chibhabha has the distinction of being the first person to lead the Lady Chevrons, making an immediate impression when she guided Zimbabwe in their first One Day International to a three-match clean sweep in the first World Cup pre-qualifiers in Africa in 2006.
Sister to Chamunorwa “CJ” Chibhabha, the men’s captain in limited overs cricket, Julia is also the country’s only female accredited coach.
Apart from being the first to lead the Lady Chevrons, Chibhabha has also led at club (Takashinga), provincial level (Mashonaland) and was vice captain of Team Africa at the Afro-Asia Cup in 2007.
But the one thing she has going for her in her new role as Convener of Selectors, is that she is backing herself to succeed.
“I view it as an honour to be selected as Convener of Selectors, and one I do not intend to take lightly,” said the 37-year-old.
“In as far as how it came about, I think it has more to do with the history I have with the sport, after having played the sport for so many years, then gone onto coaching for a bit.
“After I retired, I ran a couple of girls’ cricket leagues and competitions, so I have quite a background when it comes down to it.
“Though resources were limited, I think I did well and it is that fighting spirit I hope to bring to this new role.”
Since her retirement in 2015, Chibhabha looks to have been preparing herself for such a role.
“In terms of education, I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Science and Management, and quite a number of certificates in sports management and sports coaching of various disciplines like volleyball, tennis and football.
“I have a rough idea of all the sporting disciplines, and knowledge in all those disciplines not only pretty much gives me a leg up on the competition, but helps me come up with a different perspective and understanding,” said the former all-rounder.
It has been a bittersweet couple of days for Chibhabha since her appointment last week. On one hand, much like every other sportsperson on the planet, the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have left many with ample time to think and reflect on the journey travelled and the one still to come.
Chibhabha has no regrets about her time at the crease.
“I retired a few years back upon realising that I had pretty much done everything I had set out to do and have no regrets whatsoever.
“Obviously, there were a couple of things I wish I could have done better like lead my team to the World Cup and done more to get girls into the game.
“But there is more than one way to skin a cat, and this selectors’ role can actually help me do just that.
“For one, this post puts me in a better position to help, identify and nurture more girls than I could have ever reached as a player, and it is something I intend to look into.
“Also, pertaining to the World Cup, there is more than one way to get there and I actually believe the current Chevrons team has a better chance to get there more than we ever did.
“It’s unfortunate that we have the Covid-19 affecting a lot from sports to the general livelihood of people.
“But there is nothing we can do about it except keep our eye on the ball and not lose focus.
“The qualifiers that our national team were supposed to be a part of have had to be pushed, that also gives us more time to prepare.
“We are working hard to make sure that the girls will be ready when the time comes,” she said.
