In the light of a successful 3-0 whitewash against Ireland, Proteas head coach had plenty to say regarding the current state of the team, plans to make further progress, and an all-round assessment.

To begin with, the Proteas were playing their strongest side in the first two games and then rested their mainstays to provide opportunities for a few newcomers in the final game. Even their best XI had their shortcomings. The top order was regularly toppled by the Irish bowlers, and the middle order was put to the test. In addition, it wasn’t until the second and third games when we finally saw more intent at the back end of the innings. The bowling remained solid throughout, but the bowlers can’t always win you game after game.

“First of all, the situation was far from ideal,” said Boucher. “We didn’t have the extra all-rounder or a consistent sixth bowling choice, which I believe is very important. Then again, when a few [first-choice] players are back, we will have all bases covered.”

The beginning of the Proteas innings definitely raised a few eyebrows, since only 35 runs were scored during a passage of play where most batters look to exploit the field restrictions and fearlessly hit their attacking shots. Boucher justified this change in tactic as a more cautious course of action since three wickets were lost during the Powerplay in the previous game.

“We were playing according to the conditions present during this game. Based on what’s happened in the previous couple of games, we wanted to avoid losing multiple early wickets. The key was addressing the opposition as well as the conditions on offer. Yes, 45 would’ve been nice, but more importantly, we did lay a solid foundation early on. As a result, that set things up for a good onslaught in the middle and at the death.”

It was understandably a questionable strategy, but it undeniably worked to telling effect. More importantly, the Proteas skipper scored his first score excess of 50 in this format. And that knock in itself deserved plenty of recognition.

“There’s no doubt that he’s [Bavuma] been putting in the hard yards both on the field and behind closed doors. He takes it pretty hard if he can’t lead from the front or perform. Getting runs at this stage was great, and I knew it was only a matter of time when he’d be back among the runs. It really puts you in a nice position when you’re in charge of the team and performs consistently. Thankfully, he batted through and made a superb 72 today.”

Off the field, there has been ongoing heated discussion about the SJN hearings, with several players stepping forward and expressing their grievances. On that note, Boucher decided to wait until he’s clued in on everything from all angles before he makes a comment.

“I completely respect the sensitivity, and when I’m back home I’ll assess the info that I’m aware of and based on that, I’ll reply respectfully.”

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Next, there was praise for the bowling depth that the Proteas boasted in this series. From the incumbents like Rabada, Ngidi, and Shamsi to relatively less experienced bowlers like Linde, Fortuin, and Williams, bowling has never really been a worry for South Africa. At the same time, Boucher knew that the learning process is never finite, and there is room for improvement.

“George has been bowling really well, but he has been short on runs – he’s a genuine allrounder. Bjorn hasn’t played a whole lot of cricket in recent times but he’s a tough character who conducts himself well on the field. Finally, I’m thrilled for everyone who got a game, especially those that didn’t get a chance to regularly play.”

It was important that nobody went gameless, since there are only a couple more months to go before the T20 World Cup is underway. Preparation will soon have to wind up, and by this time the Proteas will have to be fully aware of whom all their best XI comprises as well as the style of cricket they plan on playing. There’s a Sri Lanka tour coming up soon, and that’ll be a good place to see how well the spinners fare and how well the batters can face spin.

With that being said, it’s time to laud the South Africans for a clinical series win, and it’s the second series win under Temba Bavuma’s leadership. There has been frequent criticism, but Bavuma’s focus, determination, and maturity have transcended the doubts. The Proteas struggled in this format prior to the Caribbean tour, but things seemed to gradually fall in place from that point onwards.