Proteas have progressed, now they want trophies, says Walter

Having taken big steps forward over the last couple of years, head coach Rob Walter is confident South Africa’s limited overs cricket squad can continue to improve as they set their sights on major international trophies.

The Proteas reached the semifinals of the 50-over World Cup in India last year, where they lost to Australia, and they went on to reach their maiden World Cup final at the global T20 showpiece in the West Indies last week, where they fell to India.

‘We have progressed’

“There’s no doubt that we’ve progressed. I think this last World Cup showed the team winning small moments which in the past potentially haven’t gone our way,” Walter said yesterday at the Proteas’ arrival press conference in Joburg.

“So there was huge resilience shown, a large skillset, and we encountered very different conditions from the start in New York to the back end of the competition (in the Caribbean), which showed great versatility as well.

“For me the team is ever growing, the management staff are ever growing and I’m personally ever growing… and the game is progressing quickly so we need to progress with it.

“So yes, we’ve made strides, but we are by no means the finished article.”

Champions Trophy

And while they will have to wait another couple of seasons before they have another crack at a World Cup title, Walter said they hoped to put up a fight again at next year’s ICC Champions Trophy tournament in Pakistan.

The Champions Trophy, which the Proteas won back in 1998, features the top eight teams in the ODI rankings.

“I think people underestimate the toughness of the Champions Trophy… for me that’s as strong a competition as any, so we’re faced with that next year and hopefully we continue to grow as a side and keep putting ourselves in a position where we can compete. That’s the first prize,” Walter said.

“I said last year after the 50-over World Cup that I genuinely believed that semifinal would be the catalyst to us winning our first world trophy, and nothing has changed. I probably believe that even more strongly now.”