"From my side there are no issues, we have to get back there & start playing cricket" : Mark Boucher

[MenInG]

"From my side there are no issues, we have to get back there & start playing cricket" : Mark Boucher

CAPE TOWN: South Africa have faith in the security measures put in place for their test and Twenty20 International tour of Pakistan coach Mark Boucher said on Thursday as he revealed that he hoped to lure Jacques Kallis back as a batting consultant.

South Africa start the first of two tests in Pakistan on Jan. 26 as they return there for the first time since 2007.

Their absence followed a militant attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in 2009 that killed six policemen and two civilians.

"We’ve had our (security) guys go there and do a recce of the situation and they have said it is safe," Boucher told reporters ahead of the team’s departure.

"So from my side there are no issues, we have to get back there and start playing cricket."

Boucher made his test debut in Pakistan in 1997 and went on to play 147 times in a stellar career. He said the conditions will be more suited to his side than most sub-continent nations.

"It is tough but different to India and Sri Lanka, where it (the ball) turns. Pakistan is more conducive to fast bowling. Reverse swing was very big, though regulations are tighter these days on how you can work on the ball.

"They are historically flat wickets. The areas you score as a batsman are different. If you apply yourself there are a lot of runs out there."

Boucher also said he wanted to regain the services of 45-year-old Jacques Kallis as a batting consultant after the former all-rounder signed a short-term deal with England for their current test tour of Sri Lanka.

Cricket South Africa did not take up the option of retaining Kallis' services last year, citing transformation targets, but Boucher is hopeful that, with a new board in place, that could change.

"He is on my radar in terms of trying to get him back involved in the set-up. I hope we treat him with care as he has shown he has a lot of other opportunities in world cricket.

"He is a massive loss but I know Jacques would love to be working in South African cricket. The knowledge he has needs to be utilised."

 

[MenInG]

Good to see SA on their way to Pakistan!

 

[guldozer]

Does anybody know if they are playing a warm up match before the test series.

 

[MenInG]

Does anybody know if they are playing a warm up match before the test series.

Dont see it on the schedule

 

[MenInG]

Several key South Africa players, including captain Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, and Kagiso Rabada could be rested for the T20I series against Pakistan as they turn their attentions to the Australia Tests. South Africa's head coach Mark Boucher has confirmed this on Thursday.

South Africa are due to tour Pakistan for the first time in 14 years later this month. The two teams will play two Tests and three T20Is with the series set to end on February 14. The Proteas will host Australia next month, with the provisional date for the first Test given as February 18. That could mean that a second-string South Africa side will play the T20I leg of the Pakistan tour.

Speaking to the media ahead of the tour, Mark Boucher has confirmed that South Africa will not play their strongest team in the T20Is against Pakistan. Boucher added that it will give an opportunity to upcoming stars to prove their mettle.

"It won't be our strongest team because the emphasis is on Test cricket against Australia, rightly so. It might be a watered-down T20 team," Boucher said. "And that's not a bad thing. This is an opportunity for guys to put their hands up. Some will be pushed into the deep end and we will see how they respond."

"Most of the South Africa team management might return home to prepare for Australia series"

Along with the senior players in the side, head coach Mark Boucher could also return home before the T20Is against Pakistan. A final decision on this is pending, as the dates for the Australia series have not yet been finalized.

"The initial talk was that Enoch (Nkwe) might stay over in Pakistan and finish off the series and I will come back. We are trying to split the management as well as we can to show the importance of both series. We are preparing for most of our management to come back, and one or two of them (will be) staying over," said Boucher.

In Boucher's absence, South Africa assistant coach Enoch Nkwe could take over the coaching duties for the T20I leg of the series against Pakistan. The first Test between South Africa and Pakistan is due to get underway on January 26 in Karachi.

 

[mon858]

Does anybody know if they are playing a warm up match before the test series.

That is actually a huge loss of the modern schedule + covid + security challenges.

in the past it would have been a great opportunity to have our next 15 top players (not top 15, the 15-30) play against the visiting side and make case for future selection.

even a 2 day match vs nothing would have been good.

 

[Omer2002]

no warm up they will be playing intra matches like we did in newzealand. They have just hammered sri lankans so are in form.

 

[szrana007]

Is this Boucher's 4th tour of Pak? I think he toured in 1997, 2003 and 2007.

 

[Ahmed_99]

Glad that a full strength test side is coming. The series will be a massive challenge for us but hopefully we can win it. If SA are testing their bench strength for T20s, then maybe its worth us also rotating some of our players too so we can see who can break into the first XI

 

[Hasan123]

No surprise to see South Africa potentially rest players for the T20 series against us so they can have their test players ready for the South Africa series. I think South Africa will be desperate to win that series.

 

[MenInG]

JOHANNESBURG: Cricket South Africa (CSA) can confirm the following team that has been cleared for travel to Pakistan in line with the COVID-19 protocols which were put in place in conjunction with the Pakistan Cricket Board:

Quinton de Kock (captain, Momentum Multiply Titans), Temba Bavuma (Imperial Lions), Aiden Markram (Momentum Multiply Titans), Faf du Plessis (Momentum Multiply Titans), Dean Elgar (Momentum Multiply Titans), Kagiso Rabada (Imperial Lions), Dwaine Pretorius (Imperial Lions), Keshav Maharaj (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Lungi Ngidi (Momentum Multiply Titans), Rassie van der Dussen (Imperial Lions), Anrich Nortje (Warriors), Wiaan Mulder (Imperial Lions), Lutho Sipamla (Imperial Lions), Beuran Hendricks (Imperial Lions), Kyle Verreynne (Six Gun Gill Cape Cobras), Sarel Erwee (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Keegan Petersen (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Tabraiz Shamsi (Momentum Multiply Titans), George Linde (Six Gun Grill Cape Cobras), Daryn Dupavillon (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Marco Jansen (Warriors).

Hollywoodbets Dolphins seamer, Ottniel Baartman has been ruled out due to medical reasons of a separate nature. As a result, the Warriors’ Marco Jansen has been called up to the Test squad. He is number two in the Leading Wicket Takers column of this season’s CSA 4-Day Franchise Series with 21 wickets at an average of 20.71.

The touring party has been cleared by COVID-19 tests which took place on Tuesday and Thursday and will travel to Karachi this evening.

 

[shamaan]

This should be a good series looking foward to it

 

[MenInG]

Coronavirus restrictions and thousands of security staff made for challenging conditions for South Africa on their tour of Pakistan, head coach Mark Boucher said Monday.

The team is on its first tour of the country in 14 years, after international cricket in Pakistan was suspended in the aftermath of terror attacks on the Sri Lankan side in 2009.

Pakistan has staged various limited-overs series in the last six years, but Test cricket was only revived in late 2019 -- and under the sort of security normally reserved for visiting heads of state.

"It is challenging from a management perspective -- especially when you are in a place like Pakistan where you can't get outside," Boucher told a virtual press conference.

A massive security detail made up of police and paramilitary personnel is guarding the team at their hotel and the stadium, forcing the squad to spend a lot of time in their rooms.

The first Test begins in Karachi on Tuesday, after the squad completed quarantine and returned negative Covid-19 tests.

"Personally, I don't think it's sustainable from a financial and just a headspace point of view for players, for staff, for management," Boucher said of the coronavirus restrictions.

"I think it's been necessary to get the game of cricket up and running. I think everyone understands that. But it doesn't make it easier."

Boucher, who toured Pakistan in a more relaxed atmosphere in 1997, 2003 and 2007, is a former South African wicketkeeper with a world record 555 dismissals behind the stumps in 147 Tests.

Most of the South African top players will return home after the second Test in Rawalpindi (February 4-8) to prepare for the Australia series, and a second-string will feature in the Twenty20 series.

The three Twenty20 internationals will be played on February 11, 13 and 14, all in Lahore.

https://www.france24.com/en/live-ne...urity-make-pakistan-a-tough-tour-says-boucher

 

[Hitman]

Proteas coach Boucher: We've been finding stupid ways to get out of games

Proteas coach Mark Boucher says his side has been finding stupid ways to lose games during their now-completed tour of Pakistan.

South Africa lost the third T20 against Pakistan on Sunday to lose the series 2-1.

After losing the first game chasing where they stalled against spin, the Proteas were again trapped by spin in the third T20 where they collapsed to 48/6 before David Miller’s spirited recovery saw them post 164/8 in their 20 overs.

Despite Pakistan’s noted weakness in chasing totals of 160 and above, a collective batting effort saw them hunt down the target with more than an over to spare.

Boucher said their inability to win the big moments was costly throughout the tour. South Africa’s collapses against both spin and pace cost them dearly on a tour where they lost four out of five games in all formats.

“You could look back and say that the big moments cost us on this tour, but for me as a coach, we’ve spoken about them and will continue to try and get through to the guys that they need to improve and not make the same mistakes again. If we can do that, we’ll be going in the right direction. The way we played some of the big moments was disappointing. We played ourselves into the game and found stupid ways to get ourselves out of the game again,” Boucher said.

“The nice thing about T20 cricket is that you can analyse each moment. In the first T20, there was a problem with the batting from overs six to 10, so we could have done better there. In the second game, things went to plan but in the last game, losing three or four wickets in the space of three overs was always going to put is under pressure.”

South Africa’s bowling, their one redeeming feature of the tour, faltered in the last T20. While the spin of Tabraiz Shamsi and Bjorn Fortuin prospered, SA’s death bowling left a lot to be desired.

Boucher said the death bowling remains a work in progress, but he was happy with the depth they are building in the absence of first-choice players.

“We’re bowling a lot of yorkers at training, so that’s what is being done about them and we also see the stats on TV. It is something that we continuously work on, but it’s difficult when there’s a lot of dew around. It’s hard to judge the guys on that, but I also think Pakistan’s death bowling also wasn’t that good,” Boucher said.

“We’re also trying to get quite a few players to be options at the death now and the only way for that to happen is to put guys under pressure. The more we can get guys to do this, the more options we’ll have. In this particular tour, we tried out other guys, so we are working on it.”

Link: https://www.news24.com/sport/Cricke...ding-stupid-ways-to-get-out-of-games-20210214

 

[MenInG]

Mark Boucher speaking to the media:

"The toughest part is always losing a series - we came here to win and not lose a series; For me the way played some of the big moments was a bit disappointing, as we found ourselves in the game but then found ways to get us out of the game"

"Pakistan is a fantastic place to play cricket; You see that around the grounds and from the history of some of the great talents that have come of Pakistan"

"There is a lot of reverse swing here especially in a Test match environment; The spin isnt that bad as it is in India and Sri Lanka as there isnt much turn but there is a different technique you need to apply when batting"

 

[FearlessRoar]

Mark Boucher was a stalwart behind the stumps for South Africa with 998 dismissals in his name in international cricket.

 

[mominsaigol]

Mark Boucher was a stalwart behind the stumps for South Africa with 998 dismissals in his name in international cricket.

Gilchrist was just too good as a keeper