Disappointed Brand bemoans missed opportunity for Proteas

Rather than take solace for playing a part in what turned into a truly competitive encounter, which exceeded the expectations supporters and commentators had for them before the series, the Proteas’ stand-in skipper Neil Brand said he was “actually very disappointed,” with the outcome of the second Test.

The Proteas — missing the national contracted players because of the SA20 — were beaten by seven wickets on Friday by a New Zealand team, which needed its best batter to produce an innings of the highest quality to earn the Black Caps a significant slice of history. 

It was New Zealand’s first Test series win over SA, a sequence that lasted 92 years, and while it was forecast that it would be the outcome, the determination and skill shown by the undermanned Proteas in Hamilton serves as a credit to the players.

“We stuck to our guns and considering what happened in the first Test, credit must go to the team,” said Brand. 

Still, the disappointment was writ large across his face. Thanks to David Bedingham’s century, the Proteas reached tea on the third afternoon, on Thursday, in a position from which they felt they could push home a significant advantage. 

Instead from 202/4, they suffered an awful collapse, losing those last six wickets for just 33 runs.

“We were in an amazing position to push the game forward. Unfortunately we had a big batting collapse. If we’d batted until lunch today (Friday) the result might have been different.”

While sharing his captain’s disappointment at the team’s batting, which overall in the series, was poor, given that it was the department the squad believed was its strength, the Proteas head coach, Shukri Conrad, felt the team deserved praise for giving New Zealand several nervy moments.

“We were always going to be up against it. I think the only time you are allowed to lose is when the opposition is better and they certainly were better. From the Mount to this Test there were lots of improvements. We gave a really good account of ourselves,” said Conrad. 

He and Brand agreed on the enormous difference Williamson made — not only on Friday, when he registered his 32nd Test century, moving him to no 11 on the list of leading century makers in the format, but in the series overall. 

Williamson batted for over 18 hours across the two Tests, finishing with three centuries and an aggregate of 403 runs.

“When the number one ranked Test batter in the world plays the way he does, then I guess we can’t be too disappointed with the outcome of the match,” said Conrad. 

“We knew Kane’s was the big wicket,” said Brand, “but unfortunately, we just couldn’t get Kane out. He’s just an absolutely amazing player.”

“He doesn’t leave his bubble, he just focuses on the next ball. He really respects the game, he never throws his wicket away and is just hungry to bat.”