Proteas coach Walter gets boost before critical World Cup assignment

In a fillip for new Proteas limited overs coach Rob Walter, his boss Enoch Nkwe said all the players — including those contracted to the Indian Premier League (IPL) — will be available for the two crucial One-Day Internationals against the Netherlands at the end of the month. 

Those two matches will determine the Proteas’ fate for the 2023 World Cup and there was a real threat Quinton de Kock, Kagiso Rabada, Aiden Markram and Anrich Nortjé, among others, would not be available because of the IPL which starts on March 31.  

Nkwe, Cricket South Africa's director of cricket, confirmed on Tuesday that after “occasionally tough negotiations” with officials in India, all the IPL-contracted players will be available for the matches against the Dutch on March 31 and April 2.

A loss for Sri Lanka in one of their three ODIs against New Zealand — a series that takes place a few days before the Proteas face the Dutch — would mean victory for Temba Bavuma’s side in both  matches would secure automatic qualification for the 2023 World Cup in India. 

“We have been engaged with the IPL and the BCCI. The selected players will be available for the two ODIs,” Nkwe emphasised. 

Walter, who has spent the past five years coaching in New Zealand, will naturally be keeping a close eye on that series.

“I’m a bit of a cricket 'nuffy' [Antipodean slang for someone obsessive of a sport, particularly cricket],” the coach, who started his national assignment on February 1 having completed his term with New Zealand's Central Districts Stags, said.

“There will be a few of the guys who I’ve coached along the way who I will always watch with interest to see how they are going along.

“Hopefully, the Black Caps do what they need to do and secure that series. Then we still need to take care of our business. Everything else becomes irrelevant if we don’t take care of that.”

While Temba Bavuma will remain the ODI captain until the end of the World Cup cycle, he was dropped from the Proteas’ T20 side for a three-match series against the West Indies, with Walter handing Aiden Markram the captaincy in that format.

“Temba missing out is purely a T20-based decision. My job now is to work with him to get him back into the side,” Walter said.

Markram captained the Proteas in five ODIs against India in 2018. However, that decision, by then-national selection convener Linda Zondi was widely viewed as premature and could have set Markram back a few years in his development.  

“Aiden’s matured a lot as a player and leader since then,” Walter remarked. “He has been a leader within the group for a long time and it seemed a logical progression for him to take over the reins.”

There were only a few changes to the squad that played at the T20 World Cup last year. Besides Bavuma, Keshav Maharaj wasn’t picked, while Sisanda Magala was added. 

The One-Day squad, which will play three matches against the West Indies — who are not part of the Super League 2023 qualification process — sees first-time call ups for Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs. Ryan Rickelton, previously part of the One-Day squad but not involved in the recent ODI series against England, makes a return, while Tabraiz Shamsi has been dropped with Bjorn Fortuin back in the mix. 

Heinrich Klaasen and Wayne Parnell won’t play in the first two matches of the series, while Nortje and Rabada have been given that series off as part of load management plans. 

The ODIs will be played between March 16 and 21, with the T20Is after those from March 25 to 28.   

Walter appointed JP Duminy as the limited overs side's batting coach while Rory Kleinveldt, who played four Tests and 10 ODIs, will oversee preparation of the bowlers on a part-time basis in the matches against the West Indies. 

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.