South Africa needs big improvement before World Test final, says coach Conrad
South Africa needs big improvement before World Test final, says coach Conrad
South Africa has plenty to improve on despite securing its place in next year’s World Test Championship final following its victory over Pakistan on Sunday, warned coach Shukri Conrad and captain Temba Bavuma.
South Africa wrapped up a nerve-jangling two-wicket win to seal its sixth successive test victory, which was enough to ensure a top-two finish in the WTC standings and a first-ever berth in the final at Lord’s. Its opponent is likely to be Australia, who beat India in Melbourne on Monday.
Conrad warned South Africa needs to become more clinical for the one-off test from June 11-15.
“Even in this test match, we played some really poor cricket, some soft cricket,” Conrad said at Centurion on Sunday.
“Pressure does massive things you know. I wouldn’t say we are a young side but perhaps an inexperienced side. For the growth, and where we want to take this test side, we need to be a lot more clinical, and we need to be a lot more consistent, and we need to be a lot more resilient, especially with the bat,” he warned.
Bavuma felt there had been an element of fortune to its run of test triumphs, which started against the West Indies in Guyana in August, followed by a two-test win in Bangladesh and home success over Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
“If you look at our campaign, as much as we are in the final, we haven’t been super dominant in our performances,” the skipper told reporters.
“We definitely haven’t been clinical or ruthless when the opportunity or the situation called for it, but I think what we’ve done is that we found ways to make sure that the result is on our side. It’s not ideal cricket that we’ve been playing but we’re finding a way. That speaks a lot to the talent and character within the group,” the captain added.
Conrad suggested South Africa try to fix some test practice before June, but the calendar over the next six months is dominated by limited-overs competition.
It is, therefore, likely that its last test before the WTC final will be next Friday’s second test of the brief series against Pakistan, which is being played at Newlands in Cape Town.
