Lessons learnt in unfamiliar conditions please coach despite return to South Africa without trophy
There was an air of apology to the naming of South Africa’s T20I squad last month, with head coach Mark Boucher almost forced to justify the inexperience of the men named. He explained that the visitors were prioritising the upcoming visit of Australia to their shores, and were keen to provide their senior players as much rest as possible following the two-match Test series in Pakistan.
Double jeopardy would soon strike the luckless visitors though, with Australia calling off the South African tour altogether, meaning South Africa were stuck with a T20I side very different to the one they’d likely have named had that information been known a few weeks earlier. Aside from David Miller, no one in the squad had played over 30 T20Is, and only Tabraiz Shamsi, Reeza Hendricks and Andile Phelukwayo had lined up in more than 20. The captain, Heinrich Klaasen, had been a part of just 13.
At…
