Heath Streak death news: Ex-cricketer alive after false reports from former teammate Henry Olonga

Zimbabwean cricket legend Heath Streak is battling cancer but still very much alive - as former teammate Henry Olonga found out after posting that he had died on social media.

And, he’s gone … hang on, he’s back!

The truth is, he never left us.

Former Zimbabwean cricketer Heath Streak has declared he is “very much alive”, just hours after reports of his death circulated the world.

“I can confirm that rumours of the demise of Heath Streak have been greatly exaggerated,” tweeted his former Zimbabwean teammate, Henry Olonga.

“I just heard from him.

“The third umpire has called him back. He is very much alive folks.”

I can confirm that rumours of the demise of Heath Streak have been greatly exaggerated. I just heard from him. The third umpire has called him back. He is very much alive folks. pic.twitter.com/LQs6bcjWSB

— Henry Olonga (@henryolonga) August 23, 2023

It was Olonga who only hours earlier had taken to Twitter to inform the cricket world with a heavy heart that the desperately ill 49-year-old former Zimbabwean all-rounder had died following a battle with cancer.

“Sad news coming through that Heath Streak has crossed to the other side,” Olonga originally tweeted.

“RIP Zimbabwe cricket legend. The greatest all-rounder we produced. It was a pleasure playing with you.”

Former Zimbabwe cricketers Henry Olongo (L) and Heath Streak in 1999.

This masthead contacted Olonga on Wednesday afternoon, and the former Zimbabwean international explained how the “crazy” day of confusion had played out.

“Mate, it’s been a crazy morning,’’ Olonga told this masthead.

“I got a message from him about an hour ago saying he was still alive and to spread the word he had been called back to the crease. He was having tea with Raymond Price.

“One good thing is that there were some great tributes and it’s not often you get to read them when you are still alive!

“I saw on a Facebook post that he had passed and because it was night in Zimbabwe there was no-one around to deny it. I asked four or five people and they said they thought it seemed right given he has been so sick.

“I had a message from his wife last week that he had left Johannesburg and had gone back to the farm and that was where he wanted to be.’’

Having read many news reports about Heath Streak, I’m so happy to learn the news was incorrect. 🙏

— Adam Gilchrist (@gilly381) August 23, 2023

Streak was Zimbabwe’s leading wicket-taker, taking 216 wickets and scored 1990 runs in 65 Tests between 1993 and 2005.

Also the former coach of Bangladesh, Streak is desperately ill with colon and liver cancer and receiving treatment.

Originally published as Heath Streak death news: Ex-cricketer alive after false reports from former teammate Henry Olonga