Drum – 22 August 2019

http://www.drum.co.za 22 AUGUST (^2019) | 73
No 1 in the world Test rankings [and is
currently No 2, and No 3 in the ODI rank-
ing]. With more expert management
and coaching, he can be even better.”
As far as more experienced senior
players go, De Villiers says Test open-
ing batsmen Dean Elgar (32) can help
Du Plessis (35) stabilise the team.
The same applies to Vernon Philander
(34), particularly as a Test fast bowler.
Rassie van der Dussen (30), SA’s best
batter at the World Cup after Du Plessis,
“has also now shown how good he is. It’s
just a pity our systems are so weak that
he’s only coming through at this age,” De
Villiers says.
More recently fast bowler Lungi
Ngidi (23) and Keshav Maharaj (29),
who can take over the mantle of spin
bowler from Imran Tahir (40), can
boost this possible future core group
of players.
DID THE COACH HAVE TO GO?
“Ottis Gibson isn’t to blame for things
going wrong for the Proteas,” De Villiers
says. “Someone is being made the scape-
goat again to cover up more wide-rang-
ingproblems.”
De Villiers is one of several experts
who believe there’s been significant de-
cline in SA cricket at provincial level. The
gap between this level and international
cricket has grown so wide “it’s causing a
real problem”.
“Gibson, with his experience in inter-
national coaching and bowling circles in
theWestIndiesandEngland, really has
the credential
You can’t achiev
the successex
pected fromhim
in a year ortwo
Our systemha
let him down–
he should’vehad
more supportand
freedom.”
The relatively
inexperienced
Enoch Nkwehas
now been ap-
pointed as inter-
im coach – ortea p
tion will be knowninfuture.
THE ROAD AHEAD
Our systems must be improved so a larg-
er pool of talented players can be devel-
oped faster and their careers managed
better, De Villiers says.
This includes the amount of cricket
they play, fitness and injuries, interna-
tional exposure and using all available
expertise to compete optimally.
Many vastly experienced former play-
ers, with years of international exposure,
are prepared to help but are being
shunned by the administrators.
In the short term, Cricket SA must do
what it can to ensure Test veterans such
asDuPlessis,ElgarandPhilanderdon’t
followAmlaandSteyn.SAcan’taffordto
loseanymoreplayersofhighcalibre.
EXTRA SOURCES: CRICKET.CO.ZA, ESPNCRICINFO.COM, ICC-CRICK-
ET.COM
DALESTEYN(36)
Theexuberant
“Phalaborwa
Express”isthe
bestTestbowler
SouthAfricahas
everproduced.
“Iwonderif
there’severbeen
a betterfast
bowler,athlete
orsportsman
onplanetEarth,”
formerfast
bowlerFaniede
Villierssays.
s.
ve
x-
m
o.
as

• d d y d s - -

am director, as theposi-

439 Test wickets, the most

263 weeks on of any South African

top of the ICC Test

rankings – unbeaten

record

196

ODI wickets

61 wickets in

international T20s

Best Test bowling figures:

11/60

Fastest of SA bowlers to reach 300 Test wickets (achieved in 61 Tests)

156,2km/h

The speed at which he

bowled during an Indian

Premier League (IPL)

match in 2010 – the

fastest ball ever by

93 Tests, 125 One Day Internationals (ODIs) an SA bowler.

Ex Proteas head coach

Ottis Gibson.

NEWS