Colin Delport - a short biography
MAJOR TEAMS: Zimbabwe U19, CFX Academy
John Ward
09-Mar-2000
FULL NAME: Colin Delport
BORN: 4 August 1978, at Kadoma
MAJOR TEAMS: Zimbabwe U19, CFX Academy. Present club side: Old
Hararians
KNOWN AS: Colin Delport. Nickname: Delps
BATTING STYLE: Right Hand Bat
BOWLING STYLE: Off breaks; wicket-keeper
OCCUPATION: Student at CFX Academy
FIRST-CLASS DEBUT: Still awaited
TEST DEBUT: Still awaited
ODI DEBUT: Still awaited
BIOGRAPHY (February 2000)
Colin is one of the few, but hopefully increasing, cricketers in
recent years to emerge from the Midlands of Zimbabwe, having
lived in Kadoma or Chegutu all his life.
His father played for the Rhodesian (as it then was) Schools team
in the South African Nuffield Schools Weeks of 1969 and 1970.
His father is South African and his mother Scottish. His father
used to live in Banket, on the road between Harare and Chinhoyi
(then Sinoia) and attended Sinoia High School, before moving
south to Chegutu (then Hartley) to open a chicken farm, which
remains the family business. He has a younger brother who lives
in Kariba and played Under-19 cricket in 1998, but who no longer
plays regularly for business reasons and lack of opportunity.
His father first introduced him to the game at the age of six and
played a major part in developing his technique. The three of
them used to play together regularly in their garden. Colin
attended Lomagundi College as a boarder throughout his school
years. He first played there at the age of six, beginning as a
batsman and fielder, but never doing much bowling. He won a
position in his school Colts team in Grade 3, playing with and
against boys two years older than himself, and then in the school
first team for three years from Grade 5.
Colin's highest score at junior school was 107 against Bryden
School at a cricket festival at Lilfordia School, his first
century and a fond memory. In his final year he represented
North West Districts in the national primary schools cricket
week, but was not then selected for the national side.
Colin stepped into the wicket-keeping job almost by accident, at
the age of 13, when the regular keeper was ill and he decided to
try it himself. He enjoyed it and found it a job he could do
well, and never looked back. Colin went straight into the
Under-15 team at high school level, and then spent four years in
the school first team. He represented Mashonaland Country
Districts as a wicket-keeper for four years at Under-19 level,
although he had not won selection for the Under-13 or Under-15
teams. His highest score at high school was 91. He pays tribute
to his coach for four years there, George McKenna, for his work
with him.
Colin was also a notable rugby player who represented Zimbabwe at
the Under-15 level, but then gave up that game because of regular
injuries. He also played hockey, but it took a back seat to
cricket. He did an extra year at school, including a secretarial
course, leaving at the age of 19, after perhaps the major event
in his cricketing career to date, the 1997 Zimbabwe Under-19 tour
of England. He played in all the representative matches against
England A, and during the second one-day international in
Southampton he was invited by the local club Poulton to play for
them the following year.
In the second unofficial Test at Northampton Colin scored a brisk
50 not out, his first fifty at Under-19 level, in the Zimbabwean
total of 539 for five declared. In a three-day match he also
took five catches and two stumpings as keeper. This tour
actually ended his Under-19 career, as he was too old for the
World Cup for that age-group in South Africa that followed.
Colin duly went over to England for the 1998 season, after half a
season with Old Hararians, and played for Poulton on a two-year
contract, although not as a playing professional. He kept
himself solvent by working on the grounds, mowing the grass,
rolling the pitches, working behind the bar, and playing cricket
over the weekends, with occasional matches during the week. He
stayed over the winter, taking work at various times with a
lighting company and a builder. He found his two seasons with
Poulton a very good experience in different conditions and really
enjoyed himself. His best performance was an innings of 110.
The weather was often poor, but he found little difficulty in
acclimatising. He hopes to return for a third year in April
2000.
Returning to Zimbabwe after his second year there, he applied for
a place at the Zimbabwe Cricket Academy and was accepted on a
three-year contract, the first year at the Academy itself and a
further two years coaching in the provinces. Rejoining Old
Hararians, he played in all the first-team matches, keeping
wicket and batting at number three. His best innings was one of
61 against Universals in his second game after his return.
This year Colin's ambition is to do well in the Academy, and then
he hopes to play for the Zimbabwe Board XI and become a full-time
professional with the Zimbabwe Cricket Union. He pays particular
tribute to Trevor Penney at Old Hararians for the coaching and
encouragement he has given him over the past two seasons there;
"he has sorted out a few technical problems in my batting and
keeping, and given me every encouragement."
Colin sees his future as a wicket-keeper/batsman and is keen to
keep his position at the top of the order, number three or four,
planning to work hard on it this year. His best strokes are
straight-bat shots, preferring the drive to the cross-bat
strokes. He likes to play an aggressive game. As a keeper he
likes to stand up to the bowler and especially enjoys keeping to
spinners.
Of the bowlers he has faced so far in his career, Colin rates the
England Under-19 players he played against, Ben Hollioake and
Alex Tudor, highly. He found it a challenge especially batting
against the pace of Tudor.
Colin also enjoys playing golf, the only other sport he is
currently involved in besides cricket.