FORMER Test cricket Doug Hondo has been “an absolute breath of fresh air” at Ipswich Cricket club this season, according to chairman Graham Denny.

The ex-Zimbabwe Test one one-day international bowler has been employed as a player-coach at the club, whose first team last season won promotion to Division One of the Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship.

Hondo has been involved with coaching at all levels at the Clay Hall club from the senior sides to the juniors and women’s team.

As part of the package to bring him to the area Hondo has also been coaching at Woodbridge School and Orwell Park School.

Denny said: “He has been an absolute breath of fresh air around the club.

“He is a superb guy, who has really fitted in well and he loves the area. He is more than happy with how things have worked out.

“He was given a programme at the start of the season and he has been very low maintenance – he has just got on with it – and he has been really well received at both schools.”

Ipswich appear to be on course to retain their Division One status, and Denny said: “The target at the start of the season was to finish one place above the relegation places.

“Our ultimate aim is to get into the East Anglian Premier League. We have always been a club who have never been content with getting somewhere and then just staying there – we want to move on.

“We will see how this season goes and then look to push on from there,” he added.