Jun 12 , 2001
In a sad day for world cricket, young Zimbabwean opening batsman, Trevor Madondo, attacked by a severe bout of malaria, died at Parirenyatwa Hospital in the capital on Monday morning at the age of 24.
Madondo, who was among Zimbabwe’s most promising black cricketers, was admitted to the Mutare General Hospital last Monday following a malaria attack.
He was later transferred to the Parirenyatwa Hospital on the June 7, where he passed away.
He was the first black cricketer to be selected for Zimbabwe as a batsman. His three predecessors, Everton Matambanadzo, Henry Olonga and Mpumelelo Mbangwa, are all pace bowlers.
His short stint at the international level was interrupted by injuries, lack of consistency, and also on some occasions- an undisciplined lifestyle, which landed him in trouble with the authorities.
He never actually got the time to gain the experience and cement his place in the team. Although he had the opportunities- the 1999/2000 season, when he played four one-day internationals in a row, he managed a top score of only 29.
Trevor’s death came at a time when the Zimbabwe Cricket Union was making genuine efforts to encourage black players with the formation of the Integration Task Force. He would, no doubt, have featured prominently in the latest plans.
Born on the 22nd of November 1976 in Mount Darwin, about 180 kilometres northeast of Harare, this talented batsman made his Test debut against Pakistan at Queens Sports Club in March 1998. His last match was the drawn Boxing Day Test in Wellington, New Zealand, last December, when he made his highest score, an unbeaten 74.
More popularly known as Baby Chingokes, among his teammates- due to a supposed resemblance to ZCU president Peter Chingoka, he also played in 13 one-day internationals in which he scored 191 runs. His debut was against India at Queens Sports Club while his last match was against the West Indies in a Carlton and United triangular series in Perth in January.
ZCU President Chingoka acknowledged that the country had lost a talented cricketer.