Charles Coventry

On 16 August 2009 in the fourth One Day International against Bangladesh at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, Coventry scored 194 not out, his first century at international level. It also equalled the then-record score set by Saeed Anwar for the highest individual innings in a One Day International, now bettered by Rohit Sharma (264) Sri Lanka tour of India, 4th ODI: India v Sri Lanka at Eden Gardens,

Charles Coventry played for United Services (Sports) Cricket Club in Portsmouth for the 2006 season. He contributed massively as batsman to the club. USCC compete for Southern Premier league division three. This is confirming by his club mate at USCC Muheed Jeeran, a Sri Lankan wrist spinner. Coventry good form in Twenty20 cricket continued when during the Stanbic Bank 20 Series he scored 67* off 40 balls to guide his team the Matabeleland Tuskers to third place when they beat the Southern Rocks by nine-wickets.

In 2006 he played in a number of one day matches against Kenya and went on the tour to the West Indies, however, after a discipline issue he was sent home early. As a result, he found himself out of the side again and he subsequently did not play at international level again until August 2009 when he returned to the Zimbabwean side to play a five match one-day series against Bangladesh.

When the rebellion struck in 2005 Coventry initially joined it but returned along with Gavin Ewing and Barney Rogers. He did not play for Zimbabwe in Bangladesh or South Africa, but continued good domestic form saw him picked as Zimbabwe A's wicketkeeper for the series against Pakistan A. Coventry did not play in either of the four-day "Tests", with first Neil Ferreira and then Brendan Taylor being preferred but he did play in the two "ODIs". In the first match he scored 6, as Zimbabwe lost, but in the second he produced a fine innings that catapulted him into national contention.

Good domestic form saw Coventry called up for the full national squad to tour England in 2003. He was thrown in as opener in a One Day International against England at Bristol, but struggled, scoring three off 10 balls and he was subsequently dropped for the Australia tour. He did not play again until 2005, when, after scoring a century against Pakistan A, Coventry returned to the side as a Supersub against New Zealand. In a match that Zimbabwe lost heavily, Coventry scored an entertaining 25. He subsequently played in the next three ODIs against New Zealand and India scoring 0, 35 and a fine 74 in the final match.

In 2002 Coventry applied to and was accepted by the CFX Academy, doing well there before returning to Matabeleland. At this time he also represented Zimbabwe at Under-19 level and played in eight Youth One Day Internationals during the 2001–02 Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand.

Charles Kevin Coventry (born 8 March 1983) is a Zimbabwean cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and occasional wicket-keeper. He previously shared the record, with Saeed Anwar, of the highest individual score in a One Day International, 194 not out. This was surpassed by Sachin Tendulkar's 200 on 24 February 2010. His innings is the highest ODI score in a losing cause, surpassing Matthew Hayden's 181. He is one of only a select few sportsmen to wear prescription spectacles while playing sport. He is currently playing club cricket in Dubai along with fellow Zimbabweans such as Glen Querl and Bradley Staddon.

Coventry was born on 8 March 1983 at Kwekwe, in Midlands in Zimbabwe. The son of Charles "Chuck" Coventry, who is one of the leading umpires in Zimbabwe, with international experience, he was born into a strong cricket family. His father introduced Charles to cricket from a young age, in their back garden and also the nets at the Bulawayo Athletic Club. Chuck has coaching experience and he gave Charles a strong grounding in technique and attitude.