Somerset bowling coach Steve Kirby to join Zimbabwe


image-l7rvtwjtSteve Kirby (PC: Twitter)

Steve Kirby will be leaving the club at the end of the season to take up the position of head bowling coach for the Zimbabwe men's side.

Kirby was a flame haired fast bowler with an on-field personality to match. Despite a long and successful county career that included a County Championship win with Yorkshire and spells with four clubs, he never won an international cap. Kirby played for Somerset between 2011 and 2014, claiming over 180 wickets across all the three formats. He then joined the club as a coach in the 2021 season. 

On having to leave his beloved club he said: 

“It’s with a very heavy heart that I’m leaving but hopefully the door will always be open for me to come back one day. Somerset have been unbelievably supportive throughout this whole process, and I’m particularly grateful to Jason Kerr and Andy Hurry for the support that they’ve given me.

“I’ve never been at a Club that’s as well supported as Somerset. We are unbelievably lucky to get such great backing. I’d like to thank the Members and supporters for welcoming me as both a player and a coach, and we’ll be doing everything we can to win the last four games of the season."


"Worked with Dave Houghton before"- Kirby on joining the Zimbabwe coaching

The 44 year old, who will be joining Zimbabwe's head coach Dave Houghton said that he has worked with him before at the Derbyshire county and that the prospect of reuniting with him is very exciting for him. 

“I’ve worked really well with Dave Houghton (Zimbabwe Head Coach) previously when we are at Derbyshire and when this position presented itself, I felt that I couldn’t turn it down. The scale of the role is hugely exciting because I won’t just be working with the national XI, I’ll also be involved with the whole Pathway structure across the country."


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