BY SPORTSCAST WRITER
HARARE – South African Ryan Maron, who has been fielding coach for West Indies and Afghanistan’s national teams, doesn’t consider his new and brief role on the club cricket scene in Zimbabwe as less important.
49-year-old Maron was this week appointed head coach of ambitious Zimbabwean club Sogo Rangers for the duration of the country’s T20 National Premier League (NPL) competition which started this week.
“The motivation behind me coming to Zimbabwe and coaching is I want to build a relationship with Zimbabwe cricket,” the former Western Province opening batsman told SportsCast on Wednesday after Harare-based Rangers notched up their second NPL win in as many days.
“I would like to try offer my services more to Zimbabwe, from youth to senior cricketers. I think it’s also important to work with coaches, to up-skill coaches. So the reason I’m here is to offer my services to the Rangers because I have a long-standing relationship with (former Zimbabwe internationals) Alistair Campbell and Gary Brent (who are involved with Rangers). I’m trying to add my value with the Rangers team and put structures in place to try and take them forward, to improve the players and grow the game and in the long run benefit Zimbabwe cricket.”
Cape Town-born Maron, who applied for Zimbabwe’s head coach position but wasn’t shortlisted, has been assigned to guide Rangers just for the short 2024 NPL season, with a longer relationship beyond that remaining a possibility.
“Basically, I’m here to assist the team with Alistair, Dirk (Viljoen) and Gary, then Johnathan Campbell (Rangers captain) and the other players. I’m here to help the team and see if I can add value. So it wasn’t a massive negotiation and discussion. I’m doing it as an investment into my future with Zimbabwe cricket, to see if I can add value and help the team go forward: to show them that if you put the right structures in place and if you can have the buy-in from your stakeholders and our players and assistant coaches, you can have a successful team. Because there is an abundance of talent in Zimbabwe.”
Maron, who has been to five World Cups in his international coaching roles, hailed the level of talent in Zimbabwe despite the national side’s plummeting fortunes.
“I think Zimbabwe is a hidden treasure,” he remarked.
“There is an abundance of massively talented cricketers and I think that Zimbabwe has a bright future if they keep on promoting the game and making the game a priority, putting the structures in place. They must ensure that the entire Zimbabwe cricket, from all levels, are on the same blue-print, on the same vision and moving towards the same target, to benefit the cricketers, to give them exposure, to give them the care and love that the players deserve. Zimbabwe can be back into the top 10 in the world and I believe this is possible if it’s done correctly.
“The legacy I would like to leave behind is if you put the structures in place, and you have great communication, honesty, and hard work, dedication to the game, Zimbabwe cricket will succeed. The most important thing is it’s not about the coach, the players are the people representing, playing the game. It’s not about the coach, we are there to put the structures in place, to assist them, to guide them and give them the care and love they deserve and to make sure it’s a great environment to be involved with. So really, I hope that after the two weeks in the NPL, I can leave a bit of a legacy, and hope to be back.”
After his application for the top Chevrons post wasn’t successful, Maron is however now getting the opportunity to understand Zimbabwe’s players through Sogo Rangers, an exciting blend of youthful talent and some of the country’s seasoned players.
It has already given him insight enough to predict a return to the good old days in Zimbabwean cricket.
“I was blessed to have toured Zimbabwe when I made my debut for Western Province many years ago, Zimbabwe cricket was strong,” Maron said.
“I still believe that they have the capability and players to get back where they were years ago. There is no reason why Zimbabwe shouldn’t be in the top 10. They have the players, they have unbelievable facilities. These facilities could improve to ensure that it’s more central for players from all over the country, and you have high-performance centres, indoor centres, and the best coaches available for these centres. It’s important that the coaches filter down and basically act as a hub type of facility where the coaches are coming in, getting trained and going to the kids. Then the quantity and quality are at the level you want to be, and ensure that you are reaching a far wider pool of players. I believe these standards from years ago can be achieved. I’ve seen the talent in Zimbabwe, some of the shots these guy play, they are natural athletes. If they are put through the right structures, the right coaching programmes, trust me Zimbabwe cricket will be back in the top 10. Afghanistan started years ago and look where there are, so there is no reason why Zimbabwe cricket should not be back in the top 10 in the world. I look forward to see Zimbabwe back to where they should be, competing among the best.”
