South Africa. (Photo Source: X(Twitter)
In a recent turn of events, South Africa’s Test team are gearing up for a challenging two-match series against New Zealand, looking to draw inspiration from unexpected victories across different sporting arenas.
The national women’s cricket team set the stage for the motivation, securing a historic T20I win against Australia. Shukri Conrad, South Africa’s Test coach, expressed the significance of this triumph.
“It’s the first time we beat Australia in Australia. That’s a massive thing for any Proteas side. We are watching that with fervent interest. We watch our national teams and we take a lot of pride in that,” Shukri Conrad, South Africa’s Test coach said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
Adding to the collective inspiration, the national men’s football team, Bafana Bafana, reached the quarter-finals of the African Cup of Nations, marking their best performance since 2000. Conrad highlighted the joy and inspiration derived from watching Bafana Bafana’s success, emphasising the positive impact on the team.
The recent West Indies’ Test victory over Australia, breaking a 27-year drought, further fueled South Africa’s determination. Conrad shared his sentiment and said that he finds a lot more joy and inspiration in that than in West Indies beating Australia He acknowledged the confidence boost, considering that many West Indies players who defeated Australia were part of the A tour against South Africa a few months ago.
“We obviously watched a little bit and thrilled for West Indies. But I think I spend a lot more time getting inspiration out of the women beating Australia for the first time. And then watching Bafana Bafana get through to the last 16. I find a lot more joy and inspiration in that than in West Indies beating Australia,” Conrad said.
“And I think it’s great, not only for West Indies cricket but for world cricket. It gives us a little bit of confidence, knowing that the bulk of those guys that beat Australia were on that self same A tour when we played them a couple of months ago,” he added.
We are as well prepared as we are ever going to be: Conrad
Reflecting on their preparation for the New Zealand series, Conrad expressed satisfaction with the team’s readiness. Having won a crucial A series against West Indies last year, the coach believes they’ve given themselves the best chance to compete against New Zealand.
“You sit as a coach and sometimes you feel we still need to do this or that but I am really comfortable with where we are at. We are as well prepared as we are ever going to be,” he added.
Despite concerns in cricket circles about the decision to send a less-experienced squad to New Zealand due to ongoing commitments, the team remains focused on causing an upset. With a diverse range of inspirations, including the women’s cricket team and Bafana Bafana’s success, South Africa aim to translate these victories into a spirited performance on the cricket field.