Ken Borland

When one leaves the job of national cricket coach “to pursue other opportunities in line with his future career and personal objectives”, then the IPL would be a most suitable next step and Proteas coach Mark Boucher was duly confirmed as the Mumbai Indians new head coach on Friday.

Boucher announced earlier this week that he would step down as the Proteas coach after the T20 World Cup next month in Australia, and the “pursue other opportunities” reason was attributed to Cricket South Africa CEO Pholetsi Moseki in their statement.

“It’s a pleasure to welcome Mark Boucher to Mumbai Indians. With his proven expertise on the field and off it as a coach, guiding his team to numerous victories, Mark will add immense value to MI and take forward its legacy,” Akash M. Ambani, the chairman of Reliance Jio Infocomm, the owners of the franchise, said.

Boucher has overseen a steady growth in the Proteas T20 team, such that they are now ranked third in the world and are considered dark horses for the World Cup crown in Australia.

For Boucher, taking the coaching reins at a franchise as powerful as Mumbai Indians, the most successful IPL team in history with five titles since 2013, can almost be considered a step-up, especially in terms of salary.

But the last couple of years have been rough for Mumbai and there will be pressure for Boucher to turn around their fortunes as quickly as possible, because they missed the playoffs in 2021 and finished last this year.

“It is an honour and privilege for me to be appointed as head coach of Mumbai Indians,” Boucher said. “Their history and achievements as a franchise clearly put them up there as one of the most successful franchises in all of world sport.

“I look forward to the challenge and respect the need for results. It’s a strong unit with great leadership and players, and I look forward to adding value to this dynamic unit.”

Reports had suggested Boucher was being lined up for the MI Cape Town coaching gig in the inaugural SA20 early next year, but Australian Simon Katich has been appointed to head that sub-franchise, with Hashim Amla as the batting coach.

Boucher replaces Mahela Jayawardena as IPL coach, with the Sri Lankan great now looking after all three sub-franchises in the IPL, SA20 and Emirates T20 for Reliance as global head of performance.

When Bulls director of rugby Jake White returns to his Loftus Versfeld office on Monday morning, it will be with a sense of delight over how his team got the job done in Swansea and great excitement for the future of what is still a largely young squad.

The Bulls beat the Ospreys at the weekend, 38-31, a bonus point win that was more convincing than the scoreline suggests and which ensured a home United Rugby Championship quarterfinal against the Sharks on the first weekend of June.

“We played really, really well at times and we could have won 45-24 if the ball had gone to hand when Juan Mostert threw a pass that was intercepted and Ospreys scored,” White said after the Bulls overtook the Sharks in the standings to finish fourth.

“It was a comprehensive win and I was happy with everybody. I thought we played really well tonight – the shape of our attack, the speed of our game and the quick ball from the rucks, our understanding of space and where to go.

“At times we made it look so simple against a really good team that was vying to be the top Welsh side. We did that by creating space, carrying through the middle and using tip-passes.

“To be able to do that under pressure makes it even more gratifying. I’m really looking forward to how good this team is going to be. The confidence we showed is going to be important for the next couple of years too,” White said.

While outside centre Cornal Hendricks ran the Ospreys off the park in the second half with a hat-trick of tries, there were heroes all over the field for the Bulls.

“Cornal was outstanding and I was very happy he got Man of the Match, but Canan Moodie showed why we put young guys in these positions, he knocked on in his own 22 and Ospreys scored, but then he set up his try and one for Cornal.

“Ten seconds before Mostert threw the intercept pass, he made a try-saving tackle. Ruan Nortje was very good. If he keeps playing like that, it’s going to be difficult to leave him out of the Springbok squad.

“I wouldn’t have been surprised if Gerhard Steenekamp had got Man of the Match, at times he was outstanding as well, and a guy like Johan Grobbelaar does so much for us.

“I’m just really happy to see how we have grown as a team and that the guys now get a chance to play at home, having shown we can win away if we play well enough,” White said.

Simon Harmer’s four wickets, as well as his valuable runs, on the second day of the first Test against Bangladesh at Kingsmead on Friday certainly loans credibility to his long-term future with the Proteas side, but it also answered a few of his own questions about whether he was still good enough for international cricket.

After six-and-a-half years and a record 55 Tests missed between appearances for the Proteas, Harmer took all four Bangladesh wickets to fall, for just 42 runs in 20 overs, as the tourists closed on 98/4 in reply to South Africa’s tidy first-innings total of 367.

That the Proteas reached that score after they had been reduced to 298/8 was thanks to Harmer’s determined 38 not out, as he shared important late partnerships with Lizaad Williams and Duanne Olivier.

“Bowling puts bread on my table, but I have worked hard on my batting this season because it hasn’t really gone to plan at domestic level,” Harmer said after play on Friday.

“Taking wickets is my currency though, winning games and trophies, and I have a feeling of vindication today. Although I’ve done it for Essex and now for the Titans, you do still ask yourself ‘Am I good enough for international cricket?’

“To take four wickets certainly answers a few of my own questions and it was a very good day, which I could not really have scripted better. For us to be in this position going into Day 3 is very good.

“We expected the pitch to turn a bit more actually, but we were able to bide our time. We had to bowl double-spin because it was too dark for pace, and Keshav Maharaj and I found some turn with the older ball as the pitch began to wear more,” Harmer said.

Harmer and Maharaj, who was wicketless but bowled well, sent down 39 of the 49 overs Bangladesh have faced. With the Proteas expecting the pitch to turn more and more, they are likely to play the key roles in the South African attack.

Harmer said his time at Essex – he has taken 491 first-class wickets between his last two Test appearances – has given him the confidence that his off-spin can be matchwinning fare.

“Essex gave me the platform to find myself again. I had been dropped by the Proteas and SA A, and I did not know if I would get a franchise contract. So I had a lot of self-doubt.

“But I rediscovered what made me successful, how to be a matchwinner and be more comfortable with that role.

“I now know that I can do it as an orthodox spinner, I have that level of confidence,” Harmer said.

Enoch Nkwe says there will always be a part of him that will hanker after the excitement of on-field, hands-on coaching, but for now the former Proteas assistant coach sees his future as being in more strategic ways, setting up systems for teams.

The Central Gauteng Lions announced this week that Nkwe was returning to them as their Strategic Cricket Consultant for March and April. It is a short-term gig, but at least the coach who took the Lions to three franchise trophies in 2018/19 is back in the system.

But what will the 39-year-old be doing after that? Does he have his eye on the Technical Director position rumoured to be in the process of being created by Cricket South Africa? Or will he aim even higher and go for the Director of Cricket post because Graeme Smith’s contract concludes at the end of this month and the position will be readvertised.

“There will always be a part of me that enjoys the on-field coaching,” Nkwe told The Citizen at his unveiling at the Wanderers on Wednesday, “but I’ve made peace with the technical aspect of coaching, having done it through from U19s and Academy level to the Proteas.

“There are different ways of coaching and I’ve always been very strategic in my approach. I like setting up systems and I’m a big believer that for your main team to be successful, they need a well-aligned system beneath them.

“The Lions have offered me a great opportunity to step into that direction and we’ll see how far we get to or if I am led into a different space.

“My passion is driving systems and entrenching new ways of playing the game. I’m always open to opportunities, but it needs to speak my language, I need to fit in,” Nkwe said.

Having experienced life at international level and enjoyed tremendous success domestically, Nkwe would seem to be an excellent asset for CSA to keep involved. Despite his unhappy departure from the Proteas, Nkwe did not rule out working for the national body again.

“As a cricketer or as a coach, if you get an opportunity to make a difference to the national system then you would certainly look at that.

“If it makes sense to me and if it fits me, then I would be willing to realign my plan to take things forward at national level,” Nkwe said.