Shukri Conrad admits he pondered the reason for playing a T20 series immediately after a World Cup, but says the last fortnight in New Zealand has provided valuable experience for young players.
“A lot of people have questioned the value of the series, why you would have it — we all did at one stage,” the Proteas head coach said on Tuesday, ahead of Wednesday’s series-deciding finale against the Black Caps in Christchurch (8.15am South African time).
Barely a week after the teams played in the semifinal of the T20 World Cup in Kolkata, two vastly different squads met in Mt Maunganui to start a five-match series that seemed to have little context other than making New Zealand Cricket some extra dollars.
“If you look at the younger guys who have become household names in SA20, as soon as you expose them to international cricket, there is still a gap and more pressure and scrutiny that they would never have experienced before. On that front it has been an invaluable exercise,” Conrad said.
Connor Esterhuizen, Nqobani Mokoena, Prenalen Subrayen, Jordan Hermann and Dian Forrester all earned their first T20 International caps. Two of them, Esterhuizen and Mokoena, have been named player of the match during the series.
“While both teams are not at full strength, it has been an exciting series. Whether it is fully fledged international cricket — the jury is out on that,” Conrad mused.
“People will have their opinion, but as soon as you pull on the Proteas jumper — the same for the Kiwis — you represent your country, and you have to try and make them proud.”
The standard of play certainly didn’t match that seen at the World Cup, and starting the T20 series so soon after that tournament, with an Indian Premier League (IPL) starting this week, once more brings the sport’s global calendar into focus.
With ICC men’s events taking place annually and each of the ICC’s member countries either establishing or trying to create franchise leagues, the time for bilateral series — including Test cricket — is being restricted.
Since Enoch Nkwe took over as director of national teams, South Africa has used bilateral series to dish out caps and build experience for the tier of players just below the senior group, like Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram and Kagiso Rabada. They have also rested the household names — last year none of them played in the one-day series in Pakistan to give them time to rest before the tour to India — and for the tour to New Zealand, they’ve been given time off ahead of the IPL.
South Africa have eight home Tests this summer, a host of limited overs internationals, then an SA20, a tour to Sri Lanka, another IPL then later next year the World Cup, so every opportunity to give the top players a break is crucial.
In addition, the growth of T20 Leagues continues. At the weekend, New Zealand Cricket confirmed its plan to establish a NZ20 tournament. “It’s the global trend for every nation to have a souped-up T20 league,” said Conrad.
New Zealand hopes it will provide a boost like the SA20 has for South Africa; from adding to Cricket SA’s finances, providing opportunities for new players, ensuring established players remain in the country and reenergising support for local cricket.
“SA20 has been an unqualified success for us,” Conrad, who had to endure selecting a virtual third-grade team for a Test series in New Zealand two years ago because it clashed with the T20 tournament.
“It does help to bridge the gap between domestic and international cricket.”
Though New Zealand has yet to clearly outline plans, its tournament would fall into a busy time in the calendar, which may put it in competition with the SA20, a revitalised Big Bash in Australia and the ILT20 in the UAE.
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