Latest news with #ShukriConrad
IOL News
7 hours ago
- Climate
- IOL News
Proteas coach Shukri Conrad close to finalising XI for WTC final
Proteas coach Shukri Conrad remained tight-lipped on Tuesday on his final team selection as rain disrupted their preparations ahead of the World Test Championship final at Lord's next week. Photo: Backpagepix He did, however, reveal that he has a good idea of how the XI will look and that he will wait until arriving at Lord's to further assess the conditions before making any confirmations. Right from the start of his Proteas coaching career, Conrad has made a name for himself with his bold selections and for confirming his playing XI well before the start of a Test match. However, this time around, the 58-year-old is yet to finalise the team. Proteas coach Shukri Conrad is keeping his cards close to his chest regarding the playing XI he will select for the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord's next week. At present, one or two spots remain in question — specifically within the bowling attack. Will it be Lungi Ngidi or Dane Paterson who joins Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj and Wiaan Mulder? 'We're probably getting ever closer (to finalising the playing XI),' Conrad said on Tuesday. 'We'll have a really good idea once we get to Lord's and have a look at the wicket. I haven't even looked at the forecast yet, but I can't see it changing too much from the XI I've got in my head at the minute.' The Proteas arrived in Arundel in southern England over the weekend and have since managed to hold a pair of training sessions. The side was scheduled to play Day 1 of their four-day warm-up against Zimbabwe on Tuesday. However, due to inclement weather, there was no play at the Arundel Castle Cricket Ground. Conrad expressed disappointment over the lost day's play, stressing the need for as much preparation as possible ahead of the final. 'It wouldn't be the UK if we didn't have this, you know. Fortunately, we've had two really good days of training, a full day on Monday. It is what it is,' said Conrad. 'It was always going to be a rest day for the bowlers on Tuesday. We were hoping to win the toss and bat. But I'm really happy with the preparations from the first couple of days. 'Hopefully we get some play Wednesday and we can go a little bit later so that the batters spend some time at the wicket, and the bowlers get more miles in their legs. That's pretty much what this four-day game was going to be about anyway. "Batters taking control of their prep — how much they want from it, what they want from it. I'm not going to determine that for them.' Despite concerns about players switching formats after returning from the IPL last week, Conrad remains confident. 'Not too worried about coming from different formats. Guys adapt very quickly. So I'm comfortable with where we're at,' said Conrad. 'It's not ideal, but you come to expect this. This is part of dealing with what could be thrown up. Whether we have another day of rain tomorrow, we've just got to make it work as best we can,' he concluded. Day 2 is scheduled to get underway on Wednesday at 11.30am.
Daily Maverick
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Maverick
Proteas coach lines up options aplenty to send out a thrilling World Test Championship XI
Eight players have been selected, but the balance of South Africa's side for the final is in focus after coach Shukri Conrad gave himself several choices in his squad. South Africa's World Test Championship (WTC) final encounter against Australia is fast approaching and the Proteas squad will assemble in Arundel in the UK from Saturday before taking on Zimbabwe in a four-day warm-up match from Tuesday, 3 June. Coach Shukri Conrad's selections for that game will paint a clear picture of his thoughts ahead of the match he considers the Proteas' 'biggest-ever final'. It won't be set in stone, however, as South Africa will only arrive in London on 7 June and will then have an opportunity to assess conditions at Lord's Cricket Ground, where the final will be played. Conrad and his brains trust, which includes skipper Temba Bavuma, will then have the opportunity to mull over a specialist spin bowler, an extra fast bowler or even an additional all-rounder, all of whom Conrad has selected in his 15-player squad as options. There are eight players whose names are penned in for the final, including opening batters Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton, whom Conrad confirmed when he announced the squad a fortnight ago. Numbers four and five in the batting order will almost certainly be occupied by Tristan Stubbs and Bavuma, respectively. They've batted there in South Africa's past six Test innings. David Bedingham is likely to bat at No 6 for the Proteas, although his Test form has been stuttering recently. The 31-year-old is the only player to have played every match of the WTC cycle for South Africa, but he's had a lean spell. Yet with no one else knocking the door down, he is unlikely to sit out the final. Kyle Verreynne – who has been the Proteas' first-choice gloveman throughout the current WTC cycle – will come in at seven. Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen will lead the attack with the ball. How the other puzzle pieces form around those eight players is less clear. Bowlers Slow left-arm orthodox Keshav Maharaj is a near-lock for the final XI, but his inclusion depends on conditions. Maharaj has missed out in fast bowling-friendly conditions under Conrad before. He was left out for all-rounder Corbin Bosch against Pakistan in Centurion in the Boxing Day Test match last year. The square at Lord's seems to be gripping well for spin, with Middlesex's Zafar Gohar eighth on the wicket-taking charts with 21 scalps in seven matches in the County Championship. Of those, 17 were taken at Lord's by the left-arm slow bowler. The spot for the third seamer is also contentious, with Dane Paterson and Lungi Ngidi the choices. Paterson is a skilful medium-pace bowler with the ability to get the ball to talk off the deck, which is just about tailor-made for English conditions. The 36-year-old is also playing County Cricket in England for Middlesex – whose home venue is Lord's. Ngidi's selection in the squad in the first place is slightly left-field. The tall quick hadn't played a Test match since August last year and has only played two matches in the current WTC cycle. Where Paterson's trademark is control and seam movement, Ngidi offers extra pace and bounce, as well as the ability to swing the ball through the air. It's a toss-up for what Conrad would prefer and what the conditions dictate on the day. Batting options That leaves the all-important No 3 spot vacant. The last man to bat in the position for the Proteas is seam bowling all-rounder Wiaan Mulder, who has had unexceptional returns in the two innings he has batted there (scores of five and 15). In Test cricket Mulder averages 22.65 with the willow. At this point of his career he looks better suited to batting down the order with his maiden Test century coming at No 7 against Bangladesh last year. The other option Conrad has is Tony de Zorzi. De Zorzi has a modest Test average of 30 after 11 matches, but he is more accustomed to batting in the top three. The southpaw's first seven innings in Test cricket were at No 3, where he averaged only 20.71 before moving to the opening slot after the retirement of Dean Elgar and then being usurped by Rickelton. De Zorzi averaged 35 while opening the batting with two half-centuries and one century in 20 innings. Mulder's bowling might factor in the decision-making. If Conrad opts to play De Zorzi as well as Maharaj, the Proteas will only have three fast-bowling options, which is suboptimal. The other options are all-rounders Bosch and Senuran Muthusamy. Bosch is likely to be the option Conrad turns to if he does choose to play a four-prong pace attack and not select a spin bowler. That would open the door for De Zorzi to bat at three while the team maintains its balance. Muthusamy offers a better option with the bat than Maharaj with his slow left arm, but without the supreme control of the latter. Australia's options Reigning WTC mace holders Australia have remained a relatively consistent side over the past few years. Most of the team are established international players. The only player not available from the side that won the 2023 WTC final against India is David Warner, who has retired. The bowlers pick themselves, with captain Pat Cummins leading a vicious pack that includes Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon who offers his accurate off-breaks. Usman Khawaja will open the batting but who partners him is the question. Aussie convener of selectors George Bailey has outlined Marnus Labuschagne and Sam Konstas as potentials. Konstas made his debut against India at the end of last year and scored 113 runs in the four innings he batted, but he was dropped for Australia's tour to Sri Lanka the next month. Travis Head was paired with Khawaja on the spin-friendly decks in the subcontinent, but in England he will probably be slotted in his preferred No 5. Labuschagne averaged 28.62 over the past two seasons but his overall batting average is still the second best in the side behind Steve Smith. All-rounder Cameron Green is also available although he would only play as a batter because a stress fracture in his back has not healed sufficiently for him to bowl. Labuschagne moving up the order would leave space for Green to slot in the middle order while maintaining their four bowling options, with Beau Webster providing the all-round option. Alex Carey will take the gloves for Australia, completing the playing XI. Both South Africa and Australia have the pieces of the puzzle for their playing XIs worked out after achieving more success than the other nations over the past two years of the WTC cycle. The conditions at Lord's along with the intuition of those in charge will determine how those pieces come together. DM
The Herald
4 days ago
- General
- The Herald
'I'm not going to be ‘Mr I Apologise' — Kagiso Rabada
The exact circumstances of how the drug was taken and in what environment were not outlined on Friday, nor would Rabada say if it was the first time he'd been in an environment where drugs were taken. He did acknowledge that the circumstances were 'just silly'. He reiterated that his statement published in April, through the players union the SA Cricketers Association, illustrated his contrition. 'The world doesn't revolve around me, there are people out there who are going through a lot worse. Moving into this WTC final, it is about that whole event, it's not just about me and this incident that has occurred, which is why I think it's a waste of time talking about this further. 'The people who are closest to me are the ones I felt I let down, but in saying that, life moves on. I'm not going to be 'Mr I Apologise' about it too much, I don't think I have to be, But I do not condone that action, I will never condone that action. But I've moved on.' Among the first people, aside from his family, to be informed about the positive test were Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma, who is also a close friend, and head coach Shukri Conrad.
IOL News
6 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Rassie Erasmus and Shukri Conrad: Powerhouses shaping South African rugby and cricket
GREAT MINDS Rassie Erasmus (left) and Shukri Conrad, the national coaches of South Africa's rugby and cricket teams, explored potential collaborations and shared insights during a braai, highlighting the mental and cultural parallels between their sports. Picture: BackpagePix The Springboks and the Proteas may just have more in common than first meets the eye, and that was the consensus reached by Rassie Erasmus and Shukri Conrad over good old-fashioned braai in Cape Town earlier this year. The respective national cricket and rugby coaches had a chat during the second Test between the Proteas and Pakistan earlier this year, when the topic of how the two different sporting codes could work together came up. The Springboks are currently in their second alignment camp ahead of a busy international season, while the Proteas are about to jet off to England to take on Australia in the final of the World Test Championship at Lord's in London starting on June 11. What began as an informal chat quickly turned into a brainstorming session, the Proteas coach Conrad revealed.
The Herald
6 days ago
- General
- The Herald
Erasmus, Conrad forge new culture of unity in SA sport
In the heart of Stellenbosch's rugby country, where scrums thump like thunder and lineouts rise like prayers, a new kind of Springbok playbook was being written — one that included googlies, yorkers and a few cricket bats. Last week Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus opened the doors of his second alignment camp to Proteas head coach Shukri Conrad and Cricket SA's high performance management team, planting a flag for cross-sport collaboration the likes of which South African fans have rarely seen. The Proteas, preparing for the colossal ICC World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord's next month, didn't just stop by for coffee and a handshake. They rolled up their sleeves, shadowed Springbok strategists and soaked up the culture that's powered two Rugby World Cup wins in a row. The day was as much about tactics as it was about tribal connection-building one sporting nation under the green and gold. 'They may bowl with leather and we drive with muscle,' Erasmus said with a grin, 'but when you strip it down, we're both trying to win for the same flag. Whether it's a tryline or a third man boundary, it's the same heartbeat.' The seeds of this unlikely union were sowed not in a boardroom but over a braai. Earlier this year, during the Proteas' second Test against Pakistan at Newlands, Erasmus and Conrad met for the first time under smoky skies, where meat sizzled and ideas simmered. 'There's nothing quite like a good braai to break the ice,' Conrad chuckled. 'Rassie and I started talking about culture, pressure, leadership, and before the boerewors was done, we both realised we were playing the same mental game, just on different pitches.' It wasn't long before the idea was born — why not bridge the two disciplines, not in theory, but in practice? On Thursday that dream came to life. The camp began with the usual focus of values, systems and structures for the coming season, with Erasmus and his coaching team setting the tone for a crucial year ahead. But it was the presence of the cricketing minds that gave the day an extra dimension. Alongside Conrad were CSA's high performance managers, who observed how the Boks manage detail, pressure and player identity. The Springbok assistant coaches each presented their areas of expertise, from breakdown tactics to backline structure, while engaging with their cricketing guests about what translates across the codes. 'It was fascinating. The language might be different — rucks versus reverse swing — but the messages are identical — play for the badge, trust your process, execute under pressure,' Conrad told . 'We're a week out from flying to London for our biggest final ever. 'Being in that room with Rassie and his coaches gave us a mental sharpening. You see what makes champions tick, and it rubs off on you.' This wasn't a one-way masterclass. Erasmus made it clear the Boks had just as much to learn from the Proteas, especially in the psychological realm of endurance sport. 'A Test match lasts five days. That's five days of being scrutinised, second-guessed, sledged and still needing to stay mentally sharp,' Erasmus said. 'That's not just skill, that's spiritual stamina. 'There's a lot for us to gain from how they manage that pressure cooker.' The respect was mutual, and it highlighted a growing vision across SA sport — sharing excellence. 'Vincent Tshituka, Ntokozo Makhaza and Juarno Augustus were new faces in our environment,' Erasmus said. 'And just like them, the cricket guys walked in as guests and left as teammates.' In an era where silos often dominate national sports systems, Thursday's session was a rare act of unity. Both Conrad and Erasmus signalled their intention to turn this into more than a one-off. 'We've got more in common than not,' Erasmus said. 'The more we lean into each other, the more chance we have of both standing tall on the world stage.' For the Proteas, the road leads to London. For the Springboks, it's the Barbarians clash on 28 June, followed by a stacked season. But for SA's sports lovers, the hope is that this bond continues to grow, where tactics are shared over tackle bags and insights traded like match-winning partnerships. Because in the end, whether it's a ruck or a run chase, the goal remains the same — to write victory stories that make the nation sing. — SportsBoom
