Walter puts results on the backburner as Proteas focus on long-term gains

Proteas white-ball coach Rob Walter. (Photo: Lefty Shivambu / Gallo Images)

8 Oct 2024

Proteas ‘trying not to get too emotionally attached to the result’, white-ball coach Rob Walter said after South Africa’s ODI loss to Ireland.

South Africa concluded their six-week United Arab Emirates white-ball tour on Monday, 7 October 2024, with a 69-run loss to Ireland in the third and final one-day international (ODI).

It brings the Proteas’ win percentage down to 50% across the eight white-ball matches played against Afghanistan and Ireland. Not particularly pretty reading considering the opposition.

They lost the ODI series 2-1 to Afghanistan – their first and second ever loss to the subcontinent side – before tying the T20I series 1-1 against Ireland and concluding the tour with a 2-1 ODI series win over the European side.

Jason Smith played a potentially international career-defining rearguard innings of 91 off 93 deliveries in South Africa’s defeat in the final ODI against Ireland. (Photo: Daniel Prentice / Gallo Images)

But there is a vital caveat to acknowledge in South Africa’s performances. They took on the Afghanistanis and the Irish without several of their regular stars in an effort to expand the national player base.

Whether the short-term disappointment can justify the intended long-term gain can only be determined by South Africa’s success at upcoming International Cricket Council tournaments (ICC). So far, white-ball coach Rob Walter has earned the right to some patience for his plan.

Favourites

In less than one year in charge of the team, Walter led the Proteas to a 50-over World Cup semifinal, which the Proteas headed into as favourites because of the quality of cricket they played throughout the tournament.

Less than a year later, the Proteas were in their first ever senior men’s ICC final at the T20 World Cup earlier this year. They lost the match marginally to India, but Walter nonetheless took the side to where no other coach ever has.

“Everyone likes to win, we’re all competitive,” Walter said at the conclusion of South Africa’s final ODI against Ireland. “It’s ultimately why we play the game, it’s why there’s a winner and a loser.

Proteas white-ball coach Rob Walter. (Photo: Lefty Shivambu / Gallo Images)

“From the coaching space, we try not to get too emotionally attached to the result.”

For Walter, the result, at the moment, comes second to seeing the fringe players he has given opportunities to improving and proving they belong at that level.

“It’s really about what progress we see in the players,” he said. “What implementation we see based on the work we do behind the scenes and the work that the players themselves are doing.

“We’re focusing on making sure we acknowledge those things. What have we got right? What are the learnings that we still need to do? What are the areas we still need to improve?

“Of course it’s great to win a series, it’s never a bad thing, but we’re still expecting more from this group. We’re expecting more from us as a Proteas team, we want to win games when the conditions are tough, and not only when they’re in our favour.”

Chipping away

There were a few standout performances by South Africa. Fast-bowler Lizaad Williams claimed 11 wickets across the three ODIs, including career-best figures of 4-32 in the opening match.

Dolphins all-rounder Jason Smith played a potentially international career-defining rearguard innings of 91 off 93 deliveries in South Africa’s defeat in the final ODI against Ireland.

Ryan Rickelton also finally found his feet in international cricket, recording his maiden half-centuries in back-to-back 50-plus knocks in the T20I series, as well as following that up with 135 runs in the ODI series.

Tristan Stubbs also recorded his maiden international century with an undefeated 112 off 81 deliveries, in trying conditions, in South Africa’s second ODI against Ireland. Stubbs is knocking hard on the door for a regular spot in South Africa’s ODI set-up, having already established himself in the other two formats.

“The guys who got the runs staked their claim for potentially some more opportunities,” Walter said about the players on the fringe.

“We’ll keep chipping away at our peripheral players, having these opportunities is exactly what we’re after. We need more of them. We want to give a certain group of players opportunities to grow their experience, but also understand what their game looks like in different conditions.

“We want to keep growing the base, and hopefully we’ll start winning more and more games as they become more comfortable at international cricket.”

While the results have not been ideal, Walter has earned some trust in his unorthodox methods — which, controversially, include not caring too much about the result. DM

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South Africa

Favourites

Chipping away