Shukri Conrad appointed Proteas men's all-format coach
Cricket South Africa (CSA) has announced Shukri Conrad as coach for all the formats.
Conrad, who has led the Test side since January 2023, takes over the white-ball formats from Rob Walter, starting with the T20 tri-series against Zimbabwe and New Zealand in July.
The 58-year-old will oversee the national team across all formats up to the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027 in South Africa.
CSA said his appointment forms part of its broader restructuring of the national team strategy, which includes the reintroduction of a national convener of selection.
'Shukri's track record with the red-ball team speaks for itself,' CSA director of national teams and high performance Enoch Nkwe said.
'He has laid a solid foundation and instilled a strong identity in the Test environment. I am excited to see him bring the profile and structure to the white-ball space.
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- The Herald
Proteas hope risks bring rewards in WTC final, as both XIs revealed
Ngidi, who has had his differences with Conrad in the last two years, certainly won't be lacking motivation this week. He has a point to prove to the coach, his captain and himself about his value to the Proteas and in this format. Since making his first class debut for Northerns in 2016, he's played only 33 first class matches and in those — which include 19 Tests — he's bowled 20 overs or more in an innings just four times and never in the same match. His stamina has long been a question mark as has his work ethic. But Conrad, when naming the WTC squad last month, praised Ngidi's fitness adding he was impressed by how strong he looked. The Mulder decision is another that carries significant risk. Even more so than Australia deciding Labuschagne will open and Cameron Green will bat at 3, Mulder in the top order is a gamble. He's not batted there for his province, the Lions, and only did it in two innings last season — once to manage a broken finger. ' Mulder is quite young, obviously, in that position. But having played with him provincially, and [with] how he's kind of grown in the last two years within the red-ball family, it's about giving him a lot more confidence, to keep backing him and just allowing him to do what he does best,' Bavuma said.
The South African
a day ago
- The South African
Proteas aim to banish choker tag in WTC final against Australia
South Africa will aim to banish their reputation as international cricket's serial chokers when they face holders Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord's starting on Wednesday. The first delivery is due to be bowled at 11:30 (SA time). Despite being able to call on some of the sport's most formidable players, South Africa have won just one major tournament over the last 27 years. They lifted the ICC Knockout, a forerunner of the Champions Trophy, back in 1998. But by contrast the top-ranked Australians, who beat India in the 2023 WTC final, have an enviable record at the sharp end of the biggest events. They have won the one-day World Cup a record six times, lifted the Champions Trophy twice and have also triumphed at the T20 World Cup. South Africa have earned an unwanted tag as repeat failures when the stakes are highest after an agonising run of near-misses. In last year's T20 World Cup final, despite needing 30 to win off 30 balls with six wickets remaining, they still lost to India in Barbados. However, South Africa coach Shukri Conrad, speaking ahead of Wednesday's opening day of the five-day final, said: 'The more finals you play in, you obviously improve your chances of winning. It doesn't weigh heavy on us. 'It's unfair to burden this group with anything that's gone before. 'We know we want to and we need to win another ICC event, but whatever tags come along, we don't wear that.' South Africa reeled off six successive wins to book their place in this year's WTC final, effectively playing 'knockout' cricket to qualify after losing with a weakened side in New Zealand in 2024 when officials prioritised a domestic T20 competition. With a title in their sights, Proteas captain Temba Bavuma believes Australia's decision to push Marnus Labuschagne up the order to open for the first time in Tests indicates how South Africa could triumph at Lord's. 'I think both teams have formidable bowling attacks,' he said. 'The real opportunity is within the two batting line-ups and how they are able to kind of front up and give their bowlers a score to bowl at.' Several players in South Africa's side will be new to Australia, with the champions' captain, Pat Cummins, saying: 'I think we're going to have to problem solve on our feet a bit more.' Australia captain Pat Cummins practices at Lord's ahead of the World Test Championship final against South Africa © HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP The WTC's format has faced widespread criticism, with Wisden, the sport's most revered publication, proclaiming it 'a shambles masquerading as a showpiece'. Political tensions mean India and Pakistan have not played a Test against each other since 2007. The nine-nation WTC is further skewed because the teams are not all required to face each other or to play the same number of matches, with positions in the table based on the percentage of available points won. South Africa played just 12 Tests in the current cycle – all of them two-match series – compared to England's 22, and have not faced either England or Australia, who reached the final with 13 wins from 19 Tests. Conrad countered the criticism of his side's path to the final by pointing out they had enjoyed wins over teams who had beaten the 'Big Three' of India, Australia and England. 'One of the 'nobodies' we beat won a Test match in Australia – West Indies beat Australia in a Test match. They are not nobody,' insisted Conrad. 'New Zealand beat India, three-zip in India. New Zealand is not a nobody.' This week's match is only the third WTC final, with New Zealand the inaugural champions in 2021. And for all its faults, Cummins is adamant the WTC is a prize worth winning. 'You've got to basically win in all different conditions to make it into this final,' the fast bowler said. 'If we can retain that mace, that's a pretty awesome thing for this team.' South Africa Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickleton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma (captain), Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wkt), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi Australia Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wkt), Pat Cummins (captain), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood Australia and South Africa have met three times in neutral Tests, with all three played in 1912. Australia won two of those Tests at Manchester and Lord's. The third at Nottingham was drawn. Australia have played 40 Tests at Lord's for 18 wins, seven losses and 15 draws. South Africa have played 18 there, winning six, losing eight and drawing four. Australia to win Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
TimesLIVE
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Proteas hope risks bring rewards in WTC final, as both XIs revealed
There were no secrets from the two captains before this World Test Championship final. None of that 'we want to take one more look at the pitch in morning' nonsense before announcing the starting team. Pat Cummins revealed his starting side just as Temba Bavuma had done an hour earlier. Both teams had top order decisions to make along with the composition of their respective attacks; the Australians will open with Marnus Labuschagne, the South Africans will play Wiaan Mulder at no.3. The Proteas also chose Lungi Ngidi over Dane Paterson, which Bavuma described as 'one of the tougher decisions that have been made.' Cummins said virtually the same thing about picking Josh Hazlewood instead of Scott Boland. Ngidi is a risk, simply because he hasn't played much under Conrad. In one of those two Tests, he wrapped up the Indian tail on that minefield at Newlands. Last year's first match against the West Indies was the last time he started a Test. "That first 10 overs versus the Aussies is important." @VDP_24 shares his knowledge of playing against Australia to Shukri, Temba, and Ashwell ahead of the #WTC25 final 🇿🇦 🔗 Watch on CatchUp: — SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) June 10, 2025 Paterson took two 'five-fers' last season, was the senior bowler in that 'C team' that toured New Zealand and generally when the front-line players were back, did the ugly work, especially in Gqeberha against Sri Lanka. At Lord's which has been his home ground the last few months with Middlesex, his form hasn't been as good — 11 wickets at 43.72 in five matches — but what swayed the selectors opinion was ultimately Ngidi's ability to get extra bounce from the surface. 'The selection was more from a tactical point of view, you know, (Lungi) probably has a little bit more pace, he's taller as well, ' said Bavuma. His presence means SA will match Australia in terms of height in their attack, so should a bouncer battle commence, as was the case when Cummins' team won at Lord's against England in 2023, SA will have the weaponry to stand toe to toe with the opposition. Ngidi, who has had his differences with Conrad in the last two years, certainly won't be lacking motivation this week. He has a point to prove to the coach, his captain and himself about his value to the Proteas and in this format. Wiaan Mulder reflects on the challenge of batting at No. 3 and the confidence he feels in taking on the responsibility in the #WTC Final 🏏🔥. #WTCFinal #WozaNawe #ProteasWTCFinal — Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) June 10, 2025 Since making his first class debut for Northerns in 2016, he's played only 33 first class matches and in those — which include 19 Tests — he's bowled 20 overs or more in an innings, just four times and never in the same match. His stamina has long been a question mark as has his work ethic. But Conrad, when naming the WTC squad last month, praised Ngidi's fitness adding that he was impressed by how strong he looked. The Mulder decision is another that carries significant risk. Even more so than Australia deciding Labuschagne will open and Cameron Green will bat at 3, Mulder in the top order is a gamble. He's not batted there for his province, the Lions, and only did it in two innings' last season — once to manage a broken finger. 'Mulder is quite young obviously in that position. But having played with him provincially,and how he's kind of grown in the last two years within the red ball family, it's about giving him a lot more confidence, to keep backing him, and just allowing him to do what he does best,' said Bavuma. Thank you, Mr. President 🇿🇦🙏 We're honoured to carry the hopes of a proud sporting nation into the ICC World Test Championship Final. Inspired by the recent brilliance of our athletes and our nation's unwavering resilience, we'll give it our all at Lord's 🏏 Ons is gereed.… — Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) June 10, 2025 Labuschagne, while a risk, has at least batted in the top order and as Cummins explained, there wasn't much difference in changing one position. Green, with an eye on returning to the Australian line-up after missing their home summer with a back injury, has batted at no.3 for Gloucestershire in the County Championship for the last few weeks and made three centuries and averages 66.71 in that spot. Besides those two innings at no.3 last season, Mulder has batted at no. 6 (once), 7 (15 times) and 8 (three times). An overall Test average of 22.65, doesn't provide confidence, but last season he made his first Test century — batting at 7 — so there is that. It feels like one of those 'gut feel' choices that Conrad has become famous for in the last two years. It worked with Ryan Rickelton at Newlands. The jury is still out on Tristan Stubbs at no.3, not least because he hasn't batted there since Durban last year, while choosing Senuran Muthusamy over Keshav Maharaj, in his first Test as coach against the West Indies at Centurion was Conrad, later admitted, a mistake. In the biggest game of their lives maybe some comfort can be drawn from Conrad remaining eccentric. 'A guy like Shukri coming in, it was kind of at the right time,' said Bavuma. 'When he came in, it was encouraging guys to be themselves and to play their best cricket.' Teams South Africa: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma (capt), Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi.
