Johannesburg — Malibongwe Maketa stressed the importance of the Proteas players getting in match time ahead of the tour to Australia next month, but is aware that those players who were part of the T20 World Cup, may need more time to get over the disappointment of the side’s early exit from that competition.
Maketa, who was named as the Proteas interim head coach for the three match Test series in Australia, attended the opening day of the Four-Day match between the Multiply Titans and SGG Western Province, that started on Thursday at SuperSport Park.
He said he wanted the players to participate in at least one of the Four-Day matches before the squad’s departure on December 1, but there would not be a directive from Cricket SA that they do so. “(We have to be) mindful of where they are mentally,” Maketa commented. “For me as a coach, I can’t measure mental fatigue. I will tap into the resources we have in terms of the doctors and the feedback I get from the players and then balance all of that ahead of what will be a hard series in Australia. So it will be tailored individually to the players, in consultation with the Director of Cricket and the doctors.”
Maketa said he’d already touched base with Test captain Dean Elgar, who is playing for the Titans this week and there was an understanding that those players who didn’t play in the T20 World Cup, would play over the next few weeks.
Maketa was named interim head coach after Mark Boucher resigned to take up a job with the Mumbai Indians in the IPL. It’s already been a busy few days for the 42-year-old, who admitted that the nature of South Africa's exit from the World Cup had made his task tougher. “The challenge for me personally, is to integrate (players) from the World Cup squad after that big disappointment. It’s something that is not easy to deal with and it's important for me to be mindful of that.”
Maketa will have to pick a new No 3 batter after Keegan Petersen was ruled out of the tour with a hamstring tear, picked up during last weekend’s T20 Challenge final in Potchefstroom. Fortunately Rassie van der Dussen, who started his Test career in the No 3 spot returns to action next week for the DP World Gauteng Lions, for their match against the North West Dragons. Van der Dussen missed the World Cup after fracturing his finger during the Test series in England.
Maketa, who’s most recent job was as the of SA ‘A’ team coach, said that based on South Africa’s previous success in Australia, where the Proteas have won each of the last three Test series, he was leaning towards picking an extra batter, which will come as good news for players like Ryan Rickelton and Janneman Malan. The latter started the Four-Day competition by scoring a hundred for Boland against Eastern Province in Paarl on Thursday.
Another injury cloud hangs over Keshav Maharaj, who appeared to pull a hamstring muscle while batting during the Netherlands T20 match in Adelaide. Maharaj underwent scans on Thursday and CSA were still awaiting the results of those.
The Proteas are fortunate to have off-spinner Simon Harmer back in the fold however and Maketa watched him get through a few lengthy spells at SuperSport Park.
Maketa would also have been pleased to see wicket-keeper Kyle Verreynne spend time at the crease, after a somewhat disappointing series with the bat against England. Verreynne scored a lively 87, hitting 12 fours and a pair of sixes, helping to stabilise the WP innings after they’d stumbled in the period around tea and lost three quick wickets.
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