Most cricket administrators don’t like to admit it but the game is living deeper in rugby’s shadow than ever before, especially but not exclusively at international level where the Springboks have, perhaps, created an unprecedented level of depth and consistency of performance.
The good news for cricket is that its production line of talent at junior level is as efficient and prolific as before. Unlike England, Australia, New Zealand and the West Indies, SA has no concerns about the numbers of boys and girls playing the game or competition from other sports attracting the most talented athletes.
An SA under-19 Emerging squad was announced last week so packed with talent it’s almost surreal. As is often the case at schoolboy level almost everyone is proficient at both major disciplines but it’s fair to say there are at least five genuine all-rounders rather than batters who can bowl and bowlers who can bat. There are also three genuine keeper-batters.
Head coach Malibongwa Maketa insists that his charges have “at least two-and-a-half skills” — if they’re only half decent with bat or ball then they must be a gun fielder.
Maketa was handed a hospital pass almost two years ago when he was appointed interim head coach for the Proteas three-Test tour of Australia. He took an outclassed, batting-light squad, which was hammered inside two days in the first Test before losing the second and the series.
Maketa should have been favourite to take on the roll full-time but didn’t stand a chance after that embarrassment. But he may well be serving the national cause more profitably a little further back in the pipeline. A coach with his work ethic and calm demeanour leaves exactly the desired impression on young, aspirant cricketers. And like all age-group coaches, he should be judged just as keenly on what his players achieve after they have graduated from his tutelage as on their results with him.
Hearty applause
Given the dearth of all-rounders at the highest level Maketa’s assertion that being unable to bowl meaningfully or useless with the bat is unacceptable might just trigger a return of the era in which there were four or even five all-rounders in the ODI team. Most of the squad are well under 19 years old with some barely 16 as Maketa builds towards the 2026 Under-19 World Cup.
The launch of Schools SA20 on Monday will involve more than 370 boys schools, more than 200 girls schools and more than 1,000 matches (with more than 200 being live-streamed) providing a vast platform on which the country’s young enthusiasts can compete. The sheer logistics deserve hearty applause, no matter what you think of the format.
“Schools SA20 is more than just a competition; it has the potential to significantly contribute to our cricketing future. There are a number of current Protea men and women who made their mark at a schools level,” said SA20 commissioner Graeme Smith. “I can’t wait to see the next generation entertaining and showcasing their skills on this global stage and no doubt the next teenage cricket sensations will announce themselves to the world out of this competition.”
A far more pressing question for SA cricket is why so many young players fail to progress after they leave school and begin the notoriously difficult journey towards a professional career. The argument that costs are prohibitive is still valid but also simplistic; it is far more nuanced than that.
At the most recent T20 World Cup at least eight SA coaches were working for teams other than SA. A dozen are working in English county cricket and too many to keep track of are working at domestic level in most other cricket-playing nations. It is an abnormally high attrition rate for coaches who learnt their trade in SA. Why do so many leave? Again, finances play a part but that’s not the only reason.
Excuse the generalisation, but SA coaches are respected and sought after. Apart from a willingness to be paid “modestly” in hard currency, they have a reputation for egoless modesty, and selfless, team-centric hard work. And, unsurprisingly, being skilled at working within environments of ethnic and cultural diversity.
What if all these coaches, or maybe half of them, could be employed in SA and persuaded to stay? It might mean more young players continue to progress as cricketers in their late teens and early 20s on rookie provincial contracts.
There has always been an overproduction of first-class cricketers in SA, and probably always will be. It is not a shame that so many players are able to make a living playing the game they love in other countries, but it is more than a pity that so many coaches are doing likewise. They are needed at home!
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