The road to the 2022 U19 World Cup has begun

Shukri Conrad is on a mission to nurture the best young talent around the country, as he aims to develop “hardened, tough, smart” cricketers while maintaining the desire of winning the U19 World Cup in 2022.

The goal is “three fold” for Conrad – Identifying the talent, getting them up-skilled and creating a winning mindset and environment.

Conrad is aware that the development of cricketers is important, but he also emphasised that playing a “lekker” brand of Cricket is essential to making South African cricket great again.

I had the privilege of talking to the South Africa U19 Coach after two successful CSA Under-19 Talent Acceleration Programme (TAP) camps that he set up in Pretoria and Port Elizabeth.

Conrad got some of the top consultants in the country to aid him – Malibongwe Maketa (National Academy lead), Neil McKenzie (batting), Vincent Barnes (seam-bowling), Rory Kleinveldt (seam-bowling), Paul Adams (spin-bowling), Ezra Poole (wicketkeeping and fielding, Port Elizabeth) and Kruger van Wyk (wicketkeeping and fielding, Pretoria).

As mentioned by him, he was happy with the outcome of the camps.

Khalid Mohidin chatted with Shukri Conrad in order to understand his philosophy and approach as he gears up for the 2022 U19 World Cup.