CSA chief blames Covid, inexperience for Proteas' thrashing

Moseki, Nkwe to boost coaching department after 'depressing' Aussie tour

Athenkosi Tsotsi Sports Reporter
CSA CEO Pholetsi Moseki.
CSA CEO Pholetsi Moseki.
Image: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix

Cricket SA chief executive Pholetsi Moseki has described the Proteas’ recent performance in their Test series loss to Australia as depressing.  

The Proteas lost 2-0 Down Under, completely dismantled, bruised and battered, with the Aussies taking them to the cleaners in the first two Tests to seal the series. The fight that was shown in the drawn third Test at the SCG seemed fruitless. 

“What happened in Australia was very depressing, it has been quite depressing," said Moseki speaking to the media during the Joburg Super Kings jersey launch on Sunday in Johannesburg. 

Moseki pinned the devastating series loss on the squad's inexperience, saying the Covid-19 pandemic halted the process of integrating new players into the Test team and giving them valuable experience. 

“If you look at the number of players that were playing there, and you look at their Test caps, you’ll see it was quite an inexperienced team and Australia is a brutal place if you’re inexperienced. They will expose you," Moseki said. 

“Unfortunately, in the last two years we lost superstars, a core group of people and Covid didn’t probably help with that proper gaining of experience for the next generation. Unfortunately, we got exposed in Australia and England as well.

“It is something that the guys are aware of and they are working on plans on how do we like expedite, like the gaining of experience, getting guys to play more experience.

“The SA ‘A’ hasn’t been playing enough. How do we bridge that gap between domestic and international through high-performance programmes?"

Regarding a way forward for the men's national cricket team, Moseki said the CSA director of cricket, Enoch Nkwe, would outline his plans and next week announce two new coaches for the limited-overs and Test teams . 

“The DOC [director of cricket] will have a media briefing next week on his plans, like announcing the coaches and stuff like that. There are plans," Moseki said. 

"We’ll be announcing two coaches, white and red ball. The cricket has gone. You don’t have a choice. Remember, with the white ball, there’s an ICC white ball event every year, with the T20 World Cup or ODI World Cup every four years, and with the Champions League, there’s a white ball event every year.

“We also want someone who will be focused on the red ball. Some of us still love Test cricket. We don’t want it to die. We want someone who will purely focus on that. That was one of the rationales for that."

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