Hundreds of cricketers, coaches, administrators and cricket fans came out to pay their last respects to the late Zimbabwe national team batting coach Shepherd Makunura who was laid to rest at Warren Hills Cemetery yesterday afternoon.
Makunura, who was also the head coach for one of the local cricket franchises Southern Rocks, died at a private hospital in Harare on Thursday after a protracted battle with illness.
Even a heavy downpour could not deter the cricket fraternity from attending the burial of one of the finest cricket coaches ever to be produced in Zimbabwe.
The Chevrons technical team led by head coach Dave Houghton were part of the proceedings while all local franchises were represented at the burial of the four-time Logan Cup winner.
Conspicuous by his absence was Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani, but the local cricket boss was at Makunura’s home in the past two days.
Makunura’s mentor, former Zimbabwe cricket team head coach Steven Mangongo also attended the funeral, but missed the burial as he had to fly out to his South Africa base in the morning.
As expected, the body of the late coach passed through Takashinga Cricket Club where he was a pioneering member on the way to its final resting place.
According to the programme, Rocks players were supposed to be the pallbearers for their late gaffer, but heavy rains scuttled the plan.
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Speaking on the side-lines of the burial Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) managing director Givemore Makoni said Makunura was a champion of black cricket in Zimbabwe basing on the number of top cricketers that passed through his hands.
“We are mourning, it’s a sad loss.
"He was a champion of black cricket. If you look at the number of kids that have passed through his hand they are countless. We have got kids that are playing international cricket here, we have got kids that are playing provincial cricket in this country, we have got kids playing club cricket in countries like England and Australia, all over the place. Just like the other speaker said he is a true hero of our cricket,” Makoni said.
“He was responsible for a number of players who went on to play for the national team both in the current teams and also in the past teams. It’s a huge loss he has left a huge void that cannot be easily filled by anyone.”
Born in Harare on 23 October 1976, Makunura started playing cricket in the late 1980s at Chengu Primary School in Highfield and earned a scholarship that took him to Prince Edward School for his secondary education.
A right-hand batter, Makunura was one of the brightest prospects to emerge from ZC’s development programme for high-density areas as he made it into the Zimbabwe Under-14 and Under-15 sides.
In 1990, while in Form 1, he started his club career as one of the pioneering members of Takashinga.
Makunura wrote his own piece of history after he became the only coach to win four consecutive Logan Cup titles, three with Mountaineers between 2017 and 19 as well as another one with Masvingo-based side Rocks on their return to the elite league in 2021.
In 2018, he joined the Chevrons technical set-up as fielding coach, a position that he was to hold until his untimely death.
It was Makunura’s dream to one day get the chance to coach the national team but his contribution to the team’s success as fielding coach cannot be understated.
In honour of the departed coach, ZC delayed the Logan Cup matches which were due to start yesterday by one day to allow the cricket fraternity to pay its last respects to one of its icons.
This means that the four-day matches pitting Southern Rocks against Mega Market Mountaineers at Harare Sports Club and Tuskers versus Eagles at Old Hararians Sports Club will get underway today.
Teams will observe a moment of silence while the players and officials will also wear black armbands as a mark of respect for the late Makunura.
Makunura is survived by his wife, Sinikiwe Mpofu and two children.
