Kevin Curran

A right-arm fast-medium bowler and middle-order batsman, Kevin Curran was one of the most effective overseas players in English cricket in the decade from the mid 1980s, scoring 1000 runs in a season five times. He first played for Zimbabwe in 1980, toured Sri Lanka (twice) and England with them, and played in the 1983 and 1987 World Cups - but by the time Zimbabwe gained Test status he had almost completed his 10-year qualification for English residency and was not tempted back. A slightly fiery character, Gloucestershire controversially declined to renew his contract at the end of 1990 and he moved to Northants where he played until retiring at the end of 1999. For some time he was Zimbabwe's assistant coach before moving west to take charge of Namibia. In September 2004, he returned home as director of coaching at the CFX Cricket Academy in Harare. In August 2005, he replaced Phil Simmons as national coach, a position he held till 2007. Curran was the coach of the Mash Eagles team when he died at the age of 53, after collapsing while jogging in Mutare.
Martin Williamson and ESPNcricinfo staff