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Ray stoic about job
25/04/2005 22:21 - (SA)
Johann de Jager
Bridgetown - Ray Jennings won't be embittered if he does not retain his post as coach of the Proteas. He has succeeded in doing what he set out to do and whether he stays or goes won't make a big difference to him, he said.
The victory in the third Test, which his team won by an innings and 86 runs, gave him great pleasure. He had made his point.
"Obviously, the powers that be have to take a decision," Jennings said.
The Proteas have won five of their last eight outings with Jennings as coach.
On the tour to India he had to take a number of inexperienced players and he had to make do without some experienced ones.
Jennings said that on the whole he was very happy with the performance of his players so far. The old hands had done their duty and some younger and upcoming players like AB de Villiers had excelled on this tour.
Skipper Graeme Smith emphasised that the players had no say in who would be appointed coach.
He said here was a shortlist of six potential coaches. This included Jennings.
However, indications are that an overseas coach will be taking
over.
Meanwhile Gerald Majola, CEO of the United Cricket Board of South Africa, has said should Jennings not be appointed as the full-time coach, the UCBSA will not discard him. "Jennings has a contract for another year and the UCB will honour that," the CEO said.
He added that the new coach would be named on May 19.
Majola was elated over the success of the Proteas against the Windies. What excited him most was to hear Andre Nel say that he was proud of being a South African. "That is what we want - a bunch of guys proud to play for South Africa," he said.
He was also pleased to note the performance of AB de Villiers who uses every chance he gets.
"Graeme Smith is also growing in stature as a captain, and that also contributes to the success of the team."
The captain himself complimented the bowlers, writes Johann de Jager. "It is the second match in which a bowler takes 10 or more wickets. In the previous Test it was Makhaya Ntini who took 13, and now Andre has taken 10."
Smith said the batsmen had laid the foundation in each case with big scores and good partnerships. That made the task of the bowlers much easier.
Smith added that the tour was preceded by a difficult period of 8 to 9 months, but since then some of the younger players
had matured and taken a big step forward.
Even if the pitches were in favour of the batsmen, they toiled away with aggression.
And they managed all this without the assistance of their top bowler, Shaun Pollock.
Smith said it was good to end the season this way. He feels the team can look forward to the series next season against New Zealand and Australia with confidence.
- Volksblad
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