Proteas want to ‘play more Test cricket,’ says coach Conrad

Head coach Shukri Conrad has joined calls for the Proteas to play longer Test series, as they prepare for a two-match campaign against Sri Lanka starting in Durban next week.

This will be the SA team’s sixth consecutive Test series contested over just two matches, and it has been nearly five years since they last played a Test series consisting of more than three games.

After big-hitting batter Heinrich Klaasen called last week for longer international tours, Conrad said he and others felt the same way.

He was confident, however, that Cricket South Africa director of cricket Enoch Nkwe and his team were doing their best to expand both home and away tours, pointing out the challenge faced by administrators to find space in a busy global cricket calendar.

“We have said forever and a day that we would like to play more Test cricket,” Conrad said on Tuesday.

“It’s not easy just arranging it off hand, and I’m sure Enoch is working tirelessly behind the scenes to get us content. We desperately need more content, both domestically as well as internationally.”

‘Like a kid in a toy shop’

Conrad was delighted to have regular captain Temba Bavuma back in charge of the national team on the field, after the skipper was included in a 14-man squad announced on Tuesday to face Sri Lanka.

Bavuma had missed the Proteas’ recent 2-0 series victory over Bangladesh due to a left elbow injury, with limited overs skipper Aiden Markram leading the team in his place.

“He (Bavuma) is excited, like a little kid in a toy shop at the moment, because he hasn’t played Test cricket in a while, so we’re looking forward to having him back,” Conrad said.

With a place in next year’s World Test Championship final on the line, the Proteas will face Sri Lanka in Test matches in Durban (starting next week) and Gqeberha.

The SA squad will convene for a two-day camp at the Centre of Excellence in Pretoria on Thursday before departing for Durban this weekend.