It's difficult to describe Zimbabwean cricket without a mention of the great Dave Houghton, arguably the finest batsman produced by the country along with Andy Flower. Coincidentally, both were wicketkeepers too. Houghton was a complete package with the bat in hand, incredibly versatile to switch gears according to the match situation. For a non-Asian player, Houghton played spin exceptionally well with nimble footwork and soft hands. He could also deal with pace effortlessly too. Till date, he holds the Zimbabwean record for the highest Test score, a feat that seems destined to stand for another decade at least. Apart from being a superior batsman, Houghton was also a shrewd leader and tactician.

Fittingly, he was appointed the country's first ever Test captain and led with aplomb. Throughout his brief career, Houghton never had a duck and holds the record for the most runs without getting out on nought. After retirement, Houghton took up coaching as a full time role and had great success in the county circuit with Derbyshire, Somerset and Middlesex. He even took up administration roles at a later stage. In 2018, he took up the coveted position of Head of Cricket in Derbyshire and is expected to have another fruitful outing. Houghton was a fine Hockey goalkeeper and this helped him in his wicketkeeping. During the later stages of his career, he gave up the gloves to play as a pure batsman and became a fine slip fielder.

Written by Hariprasad Sadanandan