Online Reporter
SOUTH Africa’s all-format coach Shukri Conrad will make “no excuses” for losing “a game of millimetres” to New Zealand in the tri-series final in Harare and is “thrilled” with the way his new-look team played.
Hosts Zimbabwe were knocked out after losing all their four matches.
Though South Africa lost all three matches they played against New Zealand in the competition, they came close to claiming the trophy and pulling off their highest successful chase against them.
That they did that with a squad that includes only two players — Reeza Hendricks and Gerald Coetzee — who were part of their last T20 World Cup squad suggests to Conrad that the depth in South African cricket is strong as he builds towards the next World Cup in February-March next year.
“There’s so many good things that we can take forward from here,” Conrad said at the post-match press conference.
“The result is disappointing but there were so many good things that happened there today that we can be really proud of and that I am really proud of.
“With such a young and inexperienced side, to put up the type of performance today, that is also pleasing to see. It’s no excuse for losing and we’re still bitterly disappointed. But there were some really good things.”
Chief among them was the form shown by the two young batters Conrad has also included in next month’s white-ball squads for a tour to Australia: Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Dewald Brevis.
Pretorius, who scored 31 runs in his first three innings as a T20I opener, was moved down to No. 5 for South Africa’s last league game, where he made one.
He was brought back up to the top of the order for the final and set South Africa on their way with a 35-ball 51.
“Lhuan-dre is one of the bright prospects for South Africa. We saw what he has in him with the innings he played today,” Conrad said.
“He had a lean period throughout this tournament, but he’s a classy young cricketer and exciting times lie ahead for him. Young players go through tough times and very often don’t know how to deal with it. But for him to come back in the final and play the way he did gave us a really good foundation.” — Cricinfo.
