Essex Cricket are happy to announce that Dougie Hondo has joined the Club as Essex Men's Bowling Coach.
Tafadzwa Douglas 'Dougie' Hondo joins the Club in a permanent role as Essex Men's Fast Bowling Coach, having previously spent time with the squad on a temporary basis during the 2025 season.
He becomes part of a coaching cohort led by Director of Cricket Chris Silverwood, which also includes Men's Batting Coach Tom Huggins, Academy Director & Men's Second XI Head Coach Barry Hyam, and Men's High Performance Coach Mark Pettini.
On joining the Club on a permanent basis, Hondo said: "I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to join Essex and to start this exciting new journey.
"From day one last summer, I was impressed by the culture, the passion, and the potential within the group.
"I am truly excited about the prospects ahead and the chance to work with such a skillful group of bowlers and I am also looking forward to working with a talented set of Academy bowlers who continue to show hunger to learn and grow.
"When I saw the position became available, it was a no brainer for me - I had to be part of the family. I value the warm welcome and the trust placed in me.
"I am looking forward to pushing standards, and contributing to a future filled with growth, success, and unforgettable moments. I'm proud to be joining Essex and ready to get stuck in."
Hondo is a former Zimbabwean fast-medium bowler who played domestic cricket in Zimbabwe for CFX Academy, Midlands, and Mashonaland before progressing to the national side. As a young pace bowler, he further developed his skills at the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai, where he trained under former Australian fast bowler Dennis Lillee.
His strong domestic performances earned him a Test debut in September 2001 against South Africa at Harare, followed by his ODI debut a month later against England, also at Harare.
Across nine Test appearances, Hondo claimed 21 wickets, highlighted by his best figures of 6/59 from 22 overs against Bangladesh at Dhaka in 2005. In 56 ODIs, he took 61 wickets, with best figures of 4/37 against India in Kochi in 2002.
Beyond his bowling, Hondo was admired for his athletic fielding and upbeat character. Following retirement from professional cricket, he moved into coaching, earning a Level 3 coaching qualification through Cricket Australia and later ECB Level 4, working with teams in England and New Zealand as well as a long stint as Zimbabwe Men's Bowling Coach.
Now Hondo joins Essex Men, working closely with the bowling unit to help develop their skills under the guidance of Chris Silverwood, with whom he has worked before.
On appointing Hondo, Director of Cricket, Chris Silverwood said: "We are delighted to welcome Dougie to the Club on a permanent basis.
"I worked with him back in Zimbabwe many years ago at Mashonaland, when he was my assistant, and more recently over the summer when he joined us temporarily during the County Championship and One Day Cup.
"Throughout the summer, he bonded really well with the lads and consistently demonstrated exactly what we were looking for in a Men's Bowling Coach.
"Hondo has the exact skill set we are looking for, and alongside his great character, he will be the perfect addition to our staff.
"I am delighted he has agreed terms to join my elite group of staff, and I look forward to catching up with him over the winter as we prepare the squad for the 2026 season."
Tickets for England Women’s Vitality IT20 against India Women at the Ambassador Cruise Line Ground on Thursday 28 May 2026 are on general sale and selling fast!
The T20 game will be the opening game of the series between the two sides and will also be the first game of India Women’s tour of England.
After an unforgettable summer of international cricket for the England teams, tickets for the fixture next summer have already proved extremely popular in the priority windows so secure your seat today!
Tickets can be bought online or through our Ticket Office on 01245 254010 (phone lines open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).
