HARARE: Zimbabwe have sacked cricket coach Stephen Mangongo following the team’s whitewash defeat in Bangladesh.

Zimbabwe lost all three Tests and five One-day Internationals during the recent tour, sparking an uproar among fans.

Zimbabwe Cricket board chairman Wilson Manase said a new coach will be hired before the New Year, alongside a specialist batting coach.

Former Test bowler Douglas Hondo will be retained as bowling coach in the new set-up.

Manase said at a news conference that Mangongo “is good at identifying talent and ensuring we have good players but I think at the national side we should relieve him off his duties.”

Former Zimbabwe Test player Murray Goodwin has been tipped to replace Mangongo.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2014