The Proteas’ new regime under Test head coach Shukri Conrad will aim to play a positive and fearless brand of cricket when they lock horns with the West Indies in this month’s two-match series.
Conrad’s new era that starts in the first Test on Tuesday will be also be marked by Temba Bavuma's debut as red ball captain at Centurion. After a disastrously weak showing, losing a three-match series in Australia 2-0, where several glaring deficiencies were exposed, the new regime will be looking to show signs of a turnaround against a promising West Indies.
They will try to follow global trends of greater aggression and application in batting, recently departed Proteas batting coach Justin Sammons told TimesLIVE Premium. Batters’ inability to score big hundreds was South Africa’s notable achilles heel in last year’s Test series.
Teams around the world have shifted gears and gravitated towards a more positive approach to Test cricket, especially with the bat. This has been largely led by the hugely successful aggressive brand coined “Bazball” that England have employed under captain Ben Stokes and Test coach Brendon McCullum. The pair have said the approach is an attempt to rescue the longest version of the game on its deathbed.
South Africa, under the leadership of Conrad, will take steps in the same direction.
“Land the first punch,” Sammons said, asked to describe the desired style of play Conrad is striving for with the Test team.
Sammons worked closely with Conrad when the new Test coach deputised for the ODI team — which is awaiting the arrival of Rob Walter as coach — as South Africa showed signs of the aggressive style, beating England at elements of their own game with a 2-1 series win in January.
The batting coach was replaced in the Test structure by temporary batting consultant Neil McKenzie for the West Indies series as Cricket South Africa finalise a permanent appointment for the role.
Sammons said Conrad had a unique philosophy that would test the Proteas to start meeting international standards, especially the batters.
We’ll always advocate for a positive brand of cricket. We’ll always be looking for opportunities to put opposition teams under pressure.
— Temba Bavuma
“He very much challenges the batters in terms of mindset. He is always looking to take the positive options. Conrad really keeps his message simple. It’s not mainly about execution but more about the mindset of the batters.
“Are we in that aggressive mindset or positive mindset where we look to put the opposition under pressure and look to throw the first punch? That was the message from him in the ODI series against England. It was very simple and very clear.”
Bavuma has also hinted at the more positive approach under Conrad and said the series against West Indies was the perfect time to establish that identity.
“We’ll always advocate for a positive brand of cricket. We’ll always be looking for opportunities to put opposition teams under pressure,” Bavuma said.
“This series against the West Indies will be an opportunity for us to find that way. I think with the new faces in the team, you need to give them time to find their feet in international cricket. We are going to look to play a positive brand of cricket.”
Conrad has already made some big decisions, having taken over from former coach Mark Boucher. He appointed Bavuma captain and dropped batters Sarel Erwee, Kyle Verreynne and Khaya Zondo, who, it seems, have not done enough to prove they can suit the style Conrad strives for.
The biggest omission from the Test squad facing West Indies is fast bowler Lungi Ngidi. For a good two or three years, Ngidi has been seen as the leader of the Proteas’ attack as Kagiso Rabada’s new ball partner. Conrad shocked everyone selecting youngster Gerald Coetzee instead. Ngidi did not perform at his best against England and Australia.
Coetzee has express pace and an attitude to match. These are attributes, in line with the strategy of greater aggression in bowling and batting, that seem to have earned the 22-year-old the nod.
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