Shukri Conrad and Rob Walter are expected to be unveiled as South Africa’s new coaches respectively. Conrad’s most recent position was in charge of South Africa’s Under-19 side, while Walter will move from his role as head coach of Central Districts in New Zealand.
The pair were preferred to current interim coach Malibongwe Maketa, former West Indies director of cricket Richard Pybus and former national assistant coach Adi Birrel (who applied for the red-ball job only). Lance Klusener, who was the frontrunner for the white-ball role, withdrew his application on Monday to focus on his work in T20 leagues.
The appointments, overseen by CSA director of cricket, Enoch Nkwe, will see South Africa’s men’s teams working under a split coaching set-up, following Mark Boucher’s resignation last year. South Africa previously tried something similar more than a decade ago, when Russell Domingo, who was then Gary Kirsten’s assistant, was was put in charge of the T20 side, with Kirsten remaining Test and ODI coach. Domingo then succeeded Kirsten six months later, as all-format coach.
It is not yet known which format will be coached by Conrad and which by Walter, but whoever gets the white-ball role will start immediately. South Africa play England in three World Cup Super League matches from January 27.
The Test coach will have a reduced workload at international level for now as South Africa still retain hopes of reaching the World Test Championship final, despite defeats in their two most-recent series in Australia and England, but currently only have two matches scheduled – at home to West Indies in March – in the next 11 months. In the long gaps between Tests, the Test coach will play an overseeing role in the first-class system.
Both Conrad and Walter have worked extensively in South Africa’s domestic set-up . Conrad coached both the Lions and Cobras franchises (under South Africa’s previous domestic structure) and won four titles with the two teams, including one first-class title. Since then, he worked as head coach of Uganda, as South Africa’s National Academy coach, and most recently as coach of the national Under-19 team. South Africa finished seventh at the 2022 Under-19 World Cup, with Dewald Brevis announcing himself, and Conrad then coached them to victory in the CSA T20 knockout challenge in October. This will be his first job as a Full Member national men’s team head coach.
The same applies to Walter, though he has been involved in international cricket, having been South Africa’s strength and conditioning coach between 2009 and 2013. His first role after turning to coaching was as head coach of the Titans franchise, where he won three trophies in three seasons before moving to New Zealand. Walter coached Otago Volts for five years and turned them from wooden spooners in 2016-17 to a competitive side in the seasons that followed. In April 2021, he moved to the Central Stags. Walter also has IPL experience with Pune Warriors and Delhi Daredevils.
The pair succeed Boucher, who was appointed in December 2019 on a four-year deal. Boucher was due to stay on to take South Africa to the 50-over World Cup later this year, but announced his resignation in August 2022, on South Africa’s tour of England. His last series was the T20 World Cup in Australia, where South Africa missed out on the semi-finals after losing to Netherlands. Boucher has since been announced as the head coach of IPL franchise Mumbai Indians.
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