Conrad and Walter are likely to be named head coaches for SA

• Walter and Conrad expected to be named as South Africa’s new coaches.
• Conrad most recently in charge of Under-19 team.
• Walter is head coach of Central Districts.

Rob Walter and Shukri Conrad are anticipated to be introduced as South Africa’s new coaches. Conrad was most recently in charge of South Africa’s Under-19 team, while Walter will leave his job as head coach of Central Districts in New Zealand.

Former West Indies director of cricket Richard Pybus and former national assistant coach Adi Birrel were preferred over current interim coach Malibongwe Maketa (who applied for the red-ball job only). Lance Klusener, the favourite for the white-ball position, withdrew his application on Monday to focus on his T20 league activities.

Following Mark Boucher’s retirement last year, the appointments, which were approved by CSA director of cricket Enoch Nkwe, will result in a split coaching structure for South Africa’s men’s sides.

A similar experiment was made by South Africa more than ten years prior when Gary Kirsten’s assistant at the time, Russell Domingo, was given control of the T20 team while Kirsten continued to coach the Test and ODI teams. Six months later, Domingo took Kirsten’s place as the all-format coach.

The format that Conrad and Walter will teach is yet unknown, but whoever is given the white-ball job will begin playing right away. Three World Cup Super League matches between South Africa and England begin on January 27.

While South Africa still has ambitions of making it to the World Test Championship final, despite losses in their two most recent series in Australia and England, the Test coach will currently only have two matches scheduled – at home against West Indies in March – in the next 11 months. During the long periods between Tests, the Test coach will manage the first-class system.

Both Conrad and Walter have substantial experience in South Africa’s domestic setup. Conrad coached both the Lions and Cobras franchises (under South Africa’s prior domestic structure) and won four titles, including one first-class trophy, with the two sides.

He has since served as Uganda’s head coach, South Africa’s National Academy coach, and most recently as coach of the national Under-19 team.

South Africa placed fifth in the 2022 Under-19 World Cup, led by Dewald Brevis, and Conrad led them to victory in the CSA T20 knockout challenge in October. This will be his first assignment as the head coach of a Full Member national men’s team.

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