CSA director of national teams Enoch Nkwe says he wants to provide better support for Proteas white-ball coach Rob Walter over the next two years.
Walter’s Proteas lost to New Zealand in the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy on Wednesday, having also reached the 2023 ODI World Cup semis, but he only has a 50% winning record in 24 ODIs in bilateral series.
While some CSA officials reportedly remain sceptical about Walter continuing in the role, Nkwe told the Sunday Times that he has his full backing.
“We have to empower him. Top of the list is ensuring we get a full-time batting coach and a full-time bowling coach,” he added.
Nkwe said they would analyse the Proteas’ recent playoff performances at ICC events – including the loss to India in last year’s T20 World Cup final – and the failure of their big guns to fire, in particular.
“Of course, that must start with the individuals, and we will talk to them about that, but it’s also the management and even the system in its entirety.”
OPINION: Pathetic Proteas crash and burn again
According to Nkwe, Walter will have his senior players available for ODIs more regularly in the build-up to the 2027 ODI World Cup, which South Africa will co-host, while continuing to give opportunities to other players.
“In terms of the next 24 to 30 months we will be zoning in on creating more stability and providing clarity to those players who will be strong candidates for selection in 2027,” he said.
Photo: Matthew Lewis/ICC via Getty Images
New Zealand’s Kane Williamson has scored seven centuries in his last eight innings against South Africa.
The 34-year-old’s incredible run dates back to 2017, and includes five Test and two ODI hundreds.
His latest knock of 102 helped the Black Caps beat the Proteas in the Champions Trophy semi-final in Lahore on Wednesday.
OPINION: Pathetic Proteas crash and burn again
Proteas batsman David Miller says his team’s hop to Dubai and back ahead of their Champions Trophy semi-final defeat to New Zealand in Lahore was “not ideal”.
The tangled scheduling of the event came into question as Australia and South Africa both had to fly to Dubai from Pakistan ahead of the semi-finals.
South Africa were there for less than 24 hours before jetting back again without playing a game.
Australia stayed and lost in the last four to India.
The haphazard scheduling was a result of India playing all their games in Dubai after refusing to travel to tournament hosts Pakistan for political reasons.
“It’s only an hour and 40 minute flight, but the fact that we had to do that was not ideal,” Miller said after South Africa lost to New Zealand on Wednesday by 50 runs.
The Proteas made what was ultimately a wasted trip soon after defeating England in Karachi on Saturday.
“It’s early morning, it’s after a game and we had to fly. Then we got to Dubai at 4pm. And at 7.30am we had to come back. It doesn’t make it nice.
“It’s not like we flew five hours, and we had enough time to recover and recuperate, but it was not an ideal situation still.”
HIGHLIGHTS: Proteas vs New Zealand (Champions Trophy)
Miller smashed a 67-ball 100* in a lost cause as South Africa went down to New Zealand, who will face India in Sunday’s final in Dubai.
The Black Caps scored the highest-ever Champions Trophy total of 362-6 on the back of sparkling centuries from Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson.
Temba Bavuma (56) and Rassie van der Dussen (69) steadied the South African innings with a 105-run second-wicket stand before New Zealand’s spinners, led by Mitchell Santner’s 3-43, restricted them to 312-9 in 50 overs.
OPINION: Pathetic Proteas crash and burn again
“It’s not easy chasing 360 even if it’s a good wicket,” said Miller, who struck four sixes and 10 fours in his seventh ODI hundred.
“I think the wicket just deteriorated as the game went on and they spun the ball a lot more than us,” said Miller. “It’s just they got a little bit more purchase out of the wicket.”
Miller predicted a “great” final, adding: “I’ll be honest with you, I think I’ll be supporting New Zealand.”
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Proteas coach Rob Walter reflects on their Champions Trophy semi-final defeat to New Zealand in Lahore.
David Miller’s unbeaten century wasn’t enough for the Proteas in Lahore.
Photo: Sameer Ali/Getty Images
The Proteas’ Champions Trophy semi-final exit against New Zealand must signal a complete rebuild of the ODI team, writes RYAN VREDE.
It’s impossible to rank the worst Proteas knockout performances. The catalogue is too extensive, and the depth of incompetency too painful for recall.
This one was bad in myriad ways, not least how poorly they bowled in the last 10 overs – which went for 110 runs. Relative control gave way to the type of cluelessness that has defined one too many Proteas’ performances in knockout games at major tournaments.
Three hundred was gettable on a placid Lahore deck. Three hundred and twenty would be a challenge, 340 a stretch but conceivable given the hitting power in the Proteas’ ranks. Ultimately, 362 would have demanded something truly special. The Proteas don’t do special at these tournaments.
Coach Rob Walter, who controls selection, deserves criticism. New Zealand used four spinners, two of them left-handers. South Africa, inexplicably played just the one specialist and bowled Aiden Markram four just four overs. Tabraiz Shamsi carried drinks for the duration of the match when it was clear his wrist spin could have, at the very least, arrested the free flow of runs that characterised the Black Caps’ innings.
A seam-bowling quartet of Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen and Wiaan Mulder never once exerted pressure onto batters. Their execution needed to be elite on Lahore’s tame track. It was not so. The number of boundary balls they served up in the last two balls of their over was infuriating and ensured New Zealand could tick over the scoreboard briskly.
Even so, the Proteas had them 252-3 with 10 overs to play. Then the wheels fell off. They never recovered.
REPORT: Black Caps crush Proteas to reach final
Chasing a massive score called for heroes. Instead, we got a succession of shots that betrayed the mission. Temba Bavuma, set on 56, completely lost his shape as he tried to hit Mitchell Santner over mid-off. Heinrich Klaasen then inexplicably tried to haul a full and fast Santner delivery over mid-on. Matt Henry ate it up. When Aiden Markram chipped one back to Rachin Ravindra it was all over.
Spare a thought for David Miller, who batted masterfully for a 67-ball century. He is a mental giant in a team of mental dwarfs.
He should have batted ahead of Klaasen to nullify Santner’s considerable threat. That, again, is on Walter. Shielding right-handers from a ball turning away from the bat is the type of tactical call that’s made in club cricket weekly. It was seemingly beyond Walter. It would have given them boundary potential when Miller was on strike. Instead, Santner, and later Ravindra, choked the life out of Proteas batters.
Another major ICC event, another pathetic exit.
HIGHLIGHTS: Proteas vs New Zealand (Champions Trophy)
Going into the tournament the Proteas had won just three of 11 ODIs since the start of 2024. They weren’t among the favourites, but having made a semi-final, the least a long-suffering fan base deserved was a fight. What they got was familiar in the worst way.
As the innings wound down, Dale Steyn, on commentary, remarked that there is a bright future for this team. His analysis, usually pretty astute, was wrong on this occasion. Nothing about this ODI group stirs hope. Of the six specialist batters, only Ryan Rickelton is under 30. Marco Jansen is the only player under 25.
This was an experienced group, making their feeble, rudderless performance even more infuriating. They say there’s no substitute for experience. This is not true. Experience is only valuable when it soars under pressure.
This ODI unit needs a significant overhaul. A strong argument can be mounted for a new coach. They are fundamentally flawed in ways that demand Cricket South Africa tears this down and start again.
Photo: Matthew Lewis/ICC via Getty Images
Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson struck hundreds as New Zealand eased to a 50-run win over South Africa in Lahore to set up a rematch with India in the Champions Trophy final.
Ravindra made 108 off 101 balls and Williamson hit 102 off 94 deliveries as New Zealand posted a Champions Trophy record 362-6 before restricting the Proteas to 312-9.
David Miller finished unbeaten on 100 but his 67-ball innings came in vain with the game already well out of reach, as South Africa suffered their fifth Champions Trophy semi-final defeat after those in 2000, 2002, 2006 and 2013.
They won the first edition of the tournament in Bangladesh in 1998, when it was named the KnockOut Trophy.
New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner excelled with the ball and took 3-43 with his left-arm spin, breaking a 105-run partnership for South Africa’s second wicket by removing rival skipper Temba Bavuma for 56.
Bavuma started slowly before steadying the innings with Rassie van der Dussen, who scored a fluent 69 before being deceived by a beautiful delivery from Santner.
Santner then dealt a critical blow when he dismissed Heinrich Klaasen for three, caught by a diving Matt Henry at long-on, dashing South Africa’s hopes of pulling off the highest chase in the tournament’s history.
Ravindra (1-20) had Aiden Markram caught and bowled for 31 while Glenn Phillips chipped in with 2-27 as the Proteas crumbled against spin.
HIGHLIGHTS: Proteas vs New Zealand (Champions Trophy)
Earlier, Ravindra and Williamson set the foundations for a big total on a batting-friendly Gaddafi Stadium pitch after New Zealand won the toss and batted first.
Daryl Mitchell clubbed 49 off 37 balls and Phillips smashed a 27-ball 49* as the Black Caps plundered 110 runs in the last 10 overs and 66 in the last five.
South Africa’s bowling lineup struggled right from the start as Ravindra and Will Young (21) put on 48 for the opening stand.
It was followed by a magnificent 164-run partnership for the second wicket between Ravindra and Williamson that put the New Zealanders on track for a massive total, as the duo scored at will with some delightful strokes.
Ravindra completed his fifth ODI hundred – all coming in ICC events – from 93 balls with a two off Kagiso Rabada.
Williamson reached his 15th ODI hundred with a ramped boundary, his third three-figure score in as many matches against South Africa.
It was Rabada who finally ended the partnership by dismissing Ravindra caught behind. Ravindra hit 13 fours and one six in total.
Williamson chipped Wiaan Mulder into the hands of Lungi Ngidi in the 40th over after hitting 10 fours and two sixes.
Mitchell and Phillips added some late impetus after the Proteas had briefly dragged things back to give themselves hope of limiting the score to under 350.
Fast bowler Ngidi finished with 3-72, while Rabada ended with figures of 2-70.
Photo: Matthew Lewis/ICC via Getty Images
Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson struck brilliant centuries as New Zealand posted the highest-ever Champions Trophy total of 362-6 in their semi-final against South Africa in Lahore.
Ravindra cracked a 101-ball 108 while Williamson hit 102 off 94 balls on a batting-friendly Gaddafi Stadium pitch after New Zealand won the toss and batted first.
Daryl Mitchell clubbed 49 off 37 balls and Glenn Phillips smashed a 27-ball 49* as the Black Caps plundered 110 runs in the last 10 overs and 66 in the last five.
The winners will face India in the final in Dubai on Sunday.
The Proteas’ bowling lineup struggled right from the start as Ravindra and Will Young (21) put on 48 for the opening stand.
It was followed by a magnificent 164-run stand for the second wicket between Ravindra and Williamson that put the New Zealanders on track for a massive total, as the duo scored at will with some delightful strokes.
Ravindra completed his fifth ODI hundred – all coming in ICC events – from 93 balls with a two off Kagiso Rabada.
Williamson reached his 15th ODI hundred with a ramped boundary, his third three-figure score in as many matches against South Africa.
It was Rabada who finally ended the partnership by dismissing Ravindra caught behind. Ravindra hit 13 fours and one six in total.
Williamson chipped Wiaan Mulder into the hands of Lungi Ngidi in the 40th over after hitting 10 fours and two sixes.
Mitchell and Phillips added some late impetus after the Proteas had briefly dragged things back to give themselves hope of limiting the score to under 350.
Fast bowler Ngidi finished with 3-72, while Rabada ended with figures of 2-70.
Australia posted the previous highest Champions Trophy total with a successful chase of 356-5 against England in the group stage, also in Lahore, giving the Proteas hope that they can still reach the final.
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Photo: Matthew Lewis-ICC/ICC via Getty Images
David Miller was left with too much to do as the Proteas suffered a 50-run defeat to New Zealand in the Champions Trophy semi-final in Lahore.
Captain Temba Bavuma says the Proteas will not change their approach for Wednesday’s Champions Trophy semi-final against New Zealand despite the team’s poor record in knockout matches.
South Africa have a history of coming up short on the global stage, losing their 2023 ODI World Cup semi-final to Australia and the T20 World Cup final to India last year.
That continued a long trend of disappointing results at major tournaments, but Bavuma is keen not to dwell on the past.
“We will approach the semi-final as we normally would,” said Bavuma, whose team topped Group B after big wins over England and Afghanistan, and a washout against Australia.
“It’s just another game for us, yes it’s important but we definitely won’t be blowing it out of proportion that it’s a semi-final.”
Bavuma is well aware of the challenges posed by New Zealand, who beat hosts Pakistan and Bangladesh before losing to India in Group A.
“Obviously we want to play our best cricket come tomorrow. We understand New Zealand will come with certain challenges and we will have to prepare accordingly,” said Bavuma, who played down the Kiwis’ 44-run defeat by India in Dubai on Sunday.
“They have lost to India, who are a strong team especially in Dubai,” said Bavuma. “But I don’t think New Zealand will be down on any type of confidence. They have won most of their matches, so from the confidence point of view they won’t be lacking.”
New Zealand beat a depleted South Africa in Lahore by six wickets last month in a Tri-Series match ahead of the Champions Trophy.
“I think that game gave us a look at the New Zealand team,” said Bavuma. “They will not be different from that match but we are different and strong.”
“I think New Zealand have a formidable bowling attack, quite a disciplined attack, they do not give much to the batters so we have to work hard,” he added. “But we are also confident of our bowling attack, so it will be a good show on offer by the two bowling attacks.”
MORE: Third time lucky for Proteas in NZ playoff?
Bavuma said he and opener Tony de Zorzi – who both missed South Africa’s last game against England on health grounds – have recovered.
Aiden Markram, who injured a hamstring early in the match against England, passed his fitness test on Tuesday and is available for selection.
ALSO: Linde to join Proteas in Pakistan
The winners of Wednesday’s second semi-final will meet India for the title in Dubai on Sunday. India beat Australia by four wickets on Tuesday to reach the final.
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Photo: Matthew Lewis/ICC via Getty Images