(Photo: Getty Images)

By Adam Ellis

Sacked in the aftermath of Zimbabwe’s failure to qualify for next year’s Cricket World Cup, Zimbabwe Cricket made the peculiar move of reinstating former head coach Heath Streak and his coaching staff on Monday only to terminate their contracts later in the day.

According to Zimbabwe publication NewsDay, Streak and batting coach Lance Klusener were notified by lawyers they were free to continue in their jobs but now no longer hold positions within the national team set-up.

This latest episode widens the rift between Zimbabwe Cricket and Streak following the governing body’s ultimatum that the coaching staff resign from their posts and accusing Streak of making selections based on race – a claim by Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani which Streak has described as ‘ludicrous’.

Streak refused to resign and was later sacked along with all staff involved with the Zimbabwe ‘A’ and Under-19 teams, while national team captain Graeme Cremer was also removed.

Mukuhlani has said the process to recruit Streak’s replacement should be completed by the end of April, ahead of Zimbabwe’s T20 triangular series against Australia and Pakistan in July.

Streak’s side were stunned by the UAE in their final Super Sixes match, with a 3-run defeat ending their World Cup hopes in the nation’s capital of Harare.