Bavuma and the Proteas keep the feel-good factor going in SA cricket

BLOEMFONTEIN, SOUTH AFRICA - JANUARY 25: Shukri Conrad during the South Africa men's national cricket team press conference at Mangaung Oval on January 25, 2023 in Bloemfontein, South Africa. (Photo by Charlé Lombard/Gallo Images)

By Craig Ray

30 Jan 2023

After the Proteas’ dismal tour to Australia, the domestic SA20 competition brought the feel-good factor back to local cricket and Temba Bavuma’s white-ball ODI squad have carried that happy momentum forward.

Cricket is a game of fine margins and usually more disappointment than success. Batters are almost always dismissed. The good ones might score more than 50 about every fourth trip to the crease. It’s a hard job.

For Proteas captain Temba Bavuma, it’s been an emotionally draining year or so. Runs have been hard to come by, criticism has been harsh and he endured the most chastening public snub when failing to secure an SA20 contract at the auction.

Which is why, when he reached his century against England in Bloemfontein on Sunday, he gestured to his name on his back and the badge on his chest.

It was a natural outpouring of relief, anger and joy for the skipper, who happens to be leading at a time when South African cricket’s world-class playing stocks are thin.

Still, they are a team of battlers and thanks to Bavuma’s 109 off 102 balls at the Mangaung Oval, chased down 343 in 49.1 overs to seal a 2-0 series victory over the world champions, England.

It was a win that took the Proteas a step closer to automatic qualification for the One-Day International (ODI) World Cup later this year, but as importantly, continued to keep cricket in the headlines for the right reasons.

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma bats during the 2nd One-Day International between South Africa and England at Mangaung Oval on 29 January 2023 in Bloemfontein, South Africa. (Photo: Alex Davidson / Getty Images)

SA20 pause

After years of boardroom drama and inconsistency on the field at international level, the SA20 has been a revelation in bringing fans back to stadiums in the past three weeks.

But due to the late confirmation of the SA20 tournament, the three-match ODI series against England needed to be accommodated simultaneously.

The compromise was to pause the SA20 for a week while South Africa and England battle it out. Fortunately, the Proteas continued the feel-good momentum SA20 created with two pulsating wins over England in Bloemfontein, with the third match set for Kimberley on 1 February.

Barring Bavuma, the star Proteas performers during the first two ODIs all have SA20 contracts. So, it was a pleasure to see the skipper do the only thing he could do, and score runs to remind people why he is captain in the white-ball format.

Jos Buttler of England during the ICC CWCSL, 2nd Betway ODI match between South Africa and England at Mangaung Oval on 29 January 2023 in Bloemfontein, South Africa. (Photo: Lee Warren / Gallo Images)

Marco Jansen of the Proteas during the ICC CWCSL, 2nd Betway ODI match between South Africa and England at Mangaung Oval on 29 January 2023 in Bloemfontein, South Africa. (Photo: Lee Warren / Gallo Images / Getty Images)

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“Emotionally, it [being snubbed and struggling for runs] can be draining and it can be taxing. As much as you try to block it out, it does affect you,” Bavuma said.

“The biggest one is when it affects people around you — your family. As a player, I have my ways of dealing with it. It is a part of the journey.

“We all go through periods of ups and downs, whether in our careers and family life,” Bavuma said. “The difference is that it’s in the eyes of everyone, and everyone wants to have a piece of you. It’s about trying to not be as emotional as you can and to see things as plainly, as they are.

“Blocking out the noise is something you have to do but that is quite impossible, especially me in the situation I find myself in, as the captain.”

He took some time out after the recent Test tour to Australia where the Proteas lost 2-0. Bavuma top-scored for the tourists with 185 runs across the three Tests at an average of 37. But when the SA20 party started, he was a spectator watching an entertaining and enthralling competition play out. He will return to that status on Thursday morning, which is an odd situation for the national captain.

“Being out of action for two weeks and being at home and away from the game also helped me,” Bavuma said. “Physically, I’m maybe not in the best shape, but mentally I am. I’ve become a bit more open towards the team and how we would like to go about things.”

Shukri Conrad during the South Africa men's national cricket team press conference at Mangaung Oval on 25 January 2023 in Bloemfontein, South Africa. (Photo: Charlé Lombard / Gallo Images)

There has been a change in coaching since the Australia tour, with respected coach Shukri Conrad handling the white-ball duties temporarily before Rob Walter takes over. Conrad will then assume full-time Test coaching duties.

Conrad, who has been on the domestic cricket scene for more than two decades, has seen it all and understands more than most what makes cricketers, batters and captains tick.

Bavuma leaned on Conrad and admitted to taking the risk of being vulnerable with the coach. It’s an approach that appears to be paying off.

“The conversation I had with Shukri helped. It was just being vulnerable to the coach about where I see myself and how I feel about everything,” Bavuma revealed after his superb innings in Bloemfontein.

“He helped me clear through all the nonsense that was in my head and helped me get ready for the series.

“It was just him giving me an ear, hearing me out and validating the feelings that I’ve had. The biggest thing is getting your mind into the right state to play the game. Shuks is not a therapist. What I enjoyed was the honesty and the clarity that he gave in the chat.”

Whatever the exact content of their conversation, it clearly helped. And South African cricket is better for it. DM

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