FILE - Proteas captain Aiden Markram tries to play a shot through the off-side during the recent ICC T20 World Cup in the West Indies. The Proteas T20I side back in the Caribbean for a series against the Windies. FILE - Proteas captain Aiden Markram tries to play a shot through the off-side during the recent ICC T20 World Cup in the West Indies. The Proteas T20I side are back in the Caribbean for a series against the Windies. Picture: Chandan Khanna / AFP
The Proteas are emulating Rassie Erasmus and the Springboks during their T20 series against the West Indies, by exposing a plethora of young players to international cricket.
Erasmus’ succession plan over the last six years and has brought home back-to-back Rugby World Cup titles, as the coach on occasions sacrificed results for the bigger picture.
Just this past weekend in Perth he gave a number of rookies a start in the Rugby Championship match against the Wallabies and they came through with flying colours, having already tasted top-level rugby against Wales and Portugal earlier this year.
🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦 We are back Trinidad! 🇹![CDATA[]]>🇹
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) August 21, 2024
Our players departed for the Brian Lara Cricket Academy Stadium in Trinidad, ahead of their T20 Series.🏏#WozaNawe #BePartOfIt#SAvWI pic.twitter.com/3mRjGjochf
Many of the Proteas’ stars who featured in the ICC T20 World Cup final have been rested for the series against the Windies, which starts on Friday (9pm SA time).
Starlets such as left-arm speedster Kwena Maphaka, leg-spinner Nqaba Peter and all-rounder Jason Smith feature in a squad that also has a few seasoned campaigners such as Rassie van der Dussen and captain Aiden Markram.
Peter featured in a series against the West Indies prior to the World Cup and impressed in a Proteas team that struggled. Another taste of international cricket will do him the world of good.
“We have selected personnel with the ability to play that way. But for them, the whole tour is a big learning curve in their careers, especially the new guys and the fresher faces,” said Markram.
“Understanding the environment, getting a bit of a feel for international cricket, ultimately becoming permanent fixtures in our team and putting in match-winning performances for South Africa is what it’s all about.
“You look at what the main goal is of each series from a long term point of few. You are going to have series when results don’t go your way, but it will still be good for your team in the long run.
T20i Action Incoming!⚡️
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) August 20, 2024
Our tour of the West Indies will be coming to an end soon, but not before our boys in 🟢![CDATA[]]>🟡 go head-to-head in a 3 match T20i series.
Catch all the action live, starting this Friday!🏏
📺: SuperSport Channel (201)#WozaNawe #BePartOfIt#SAvWI pic.twitter.com/YofFxLHOL5
“That series was great exposure for those guys who have never experienced international cricket before. You would think that now when they get another opportunity to be here, they would feel a lot more calmer and a bit more confident that they can compete.”
Many of those players go into the series without the scars left by the narrow World Cup defeat against India. But there are players such Markram in the group who will still be dealing with the pain.
It was South Africa’s men’s team’s first major ICC final and they came up short after looking like winning it. Markram, though is ready to move on from that heartbreak.
“You give it as much time as you need to process. It was a tough one to swallow at the time. Definitely, since then it’s become a lot better to deal with,” said Markram.
“Luckily I was able to take some time away from the game and cricket conversations that would spark discussion about the World Cup final.
“Probably the most important thing is to be at peace about how it all ended so that you can move forward.”
@JohnGoliath82