Telford Vice's Blog, page 10

When Shukri met Rassie, and ideas flowed

“I find it really interesting that playing for the Springboks has got to be the biggest thing. Playing for the Proteas has to be the biggest thing.” – Shukri Conrad

Telford Vice / Cape Town

IT’S not difficult to see why Shukri Conrad might get along with Rassie Erasmus. Both are straightforward, comfortable in their own skins, and reassuringly unvarnished: real people. Both have a way of translating elite level sport the kind of language the rest of us understand.

But Erasmus has some...

Conrad comes out swinging against Big Three theory

“I think only in their own minds have they dubbed themselves the Big Three. I don’t think anybody else has.” – Shukri Conrad

Telford Vice / Cape Town

THE WTC final at Lord’s in June was almost a month away when South Africa’s squad was announced on Monday, but Shukri Conrad came out swinging regardless: “I don’t think we need to do anything out of the extraordinary to beat Australia.”

No doubt he meant ordinary. Then again, there isn’t much about Conrad’s approach to the game that isn...

CSA, IPL on collision course over WTC final players’ return?

“May 26 is the latest for the Test guys to come back. The original plans don’t change because the No. 1 priority is the WTC final.” – Enoch Nkwe, CSA director of national teams and high performance

Telford Vice / Cape Town

PUSH is about to come to shove for Shukri Conrad’s philosophy that South Africa’s first-choice players should always be available for the national cause — come hell, high water or even the IPL.

Conrad made his point on Friday, when CSA confirmed he would add the whi...

WTC final: Ngidi back, Paterson, Bosch retained …

… but no Nortjé, Coetzee or Burger.

Telford Vice / Cape Town

LUNGI Ngidi is back in the frame more than nine months after playing his last Test. Dane Paterson has held onto the place that made him a cult hero last summer. Corbin Bosch’s personal fairytale has gained a chapter. Kagiso Rabada’s recent drugs drama hasn’t cost him his spot. But there is no room for Anrich Nortjé, Gerald Coetzee or Nandré Burger.

South Africa’s squad for the WTC final against Australia at Lord’s, which sta...

Will Conrad handle the tangle of club v country?

“We’re going to put out the best Proteas side every time we play.” – Shukri Conrad

Telford Vice / Cape Town

SHUKRI Conrad is now in control of all three of South Africa’s men’s national teams. But he will soon have less authority over how he does his job than when he was the Test coach only.

CSA announced on Friday that Conrad had been appointed coach in all three formats. He replaces Rob Walter, whose resignation from the white-ball role became effective at the end of April.

Betwe...

Dramatic dead rubber sends South Africa home smiling

“The century was never on my mind. And then, when I looked up, I saw, oh, I’m close. And then it just happened.” – Annerie Dercksen

Telford Vice / Cape Town

A century and two five-wicket hauls, one of which featured a hattrick, the other begun and completed in 18 balls, and a team’s first win in six ODIs. The match between Sri Lanka and South Africa in Colombo on Friday had more than its fair share of drama, not least because it was a dead rubber.

The South Africans’ poor form in the ...

Rabada’s greatness is assured, but so is this blot on his record

For South Africans, a one-month ban is punishment enough.

Telford Vice / Cape Town

KAGISO Rabada is no stranger to breaking records. In July 2016 he was the first player to claim six trophies at CSA’s annual awards. He did so again two years later. Also in 2018, the ICC ranked him the world’s best Test and ODI bowler for the whole year.

In July 2018, he became the youngest bowler to take 150 Test wickets. A month later, Wisden anointed him the best young player in the world. In Octobe...

Another ODI, another loss for struggling South Africa

“Twenty-three runs is not that far away.” – Chloe Tryon

Telford Vice / Cape Town

THE last time South Africa won an ODI, Pope Francis was alive and as well as a then 87-year-old man could be, Donald Trump had yet to try and tariff the world into submission, and nothing had happened that might drive India and Pakistan to the brink of war.

Marizanne Kapp and Annerie Dercksen took three wickets each, Laura Wolvaardt scored 59, and England were beaten by six wickets with 70 balls to spare ...

Drug use took Rabada out of IPL

“I am deeply sorry to all those that I have let down.” – Kagiso Rabada

Telford Vice / Cape Town

KAGISO Rabada has missed a month of this year’s IPL because of recreational drug use, the fast bowler said in a statement on Saturday. Rabada played only two games for Gujarat Titans before returning to South Africa on April 3.

The franchise said at the time he had gone home to attend to “an important personal matter”. Cricbuzz understands Rabada is back in India, presumably to resume playi...

South Africa’s slump deepens

“The results don’t really matter for us right now.” – Lara Goodall

Telford Vice / Cape Town

PLAYED two, lost two. South Africa’s ODI Tri-Series in Sri Lanka is not going according to plan. They followed a 15-run defeat to India on Tuesday by going down to the home side by five wickets on Friday. Then again, losing would seem to be becoming a habit for Laura Wolvaardt’s team.

They have lost eight of their last nine ODIs, along with all four of the T20Is they have played since beating A...