SA vs ENG | Mark Boucher is hungry to pass on knowledge to youngsters, says Dean Elgar
Dean Elgar feels that their head coach Mark Boucher is having the hunger to pass on his cricketing knowledge to the new talents in the team. Boucher was appointed as head coach last month after a period of turmoil that saw South Africa Cricket Board in direct conflict with players’ association.
A year of lows in South African cricket saw a rather contrasting end to 2019. The year saw their team go down in the group stages of the World Cup, then an embarrassing white-wash by Indian recently putting their tag of the best ‘touring team’ in question. The disappointments were no less off the field as well. The SA cricket Board saw one of its most torrid times after its direct conflict with South Africa Cricketer’s Association(SACA) on various fronts.
To leave all the disappointments behind, the South African team managed to beat England in the Boxing Day Test at Centurion that would have definitely given them a sense of pride back. The last month of 2019 also saw their Board back in position, with Graeme Smith at the helm of affairs, although it says interim.
“It was an important win for us. We haven’t really had the greatest ‘Test year.’ There were a few tough games that we played in the build-up to this series, so that was a good ‘character build-up’ for the boys. Obviously, the hangover is still there. Hopefully, we can build on it,” Dean Elgar told TOI from Cape Town before the start of the second Test on Friday.
Speaking about Smith’s appointment as the Director of Cricket and stalwarts like Boucher and Jacques Kallis being appointed as coach, the left-hander said that it will be beneficial for their cricket.
“They’ve obviously arrived in the group with a lot of credibility and respect. I’m going to remember it forever that I sat with these cricket legends. They come in the change room and provide the environment with a lot of confidence,” asserted Elgar.
Talking about Boucher’s influence on him during his stay with the Titans, he said the former wicket-keeper helped him improve his game with his experience. He also talked about Boucher’s eagerness and hunger to pass on his knowledge to youngsters.
“I have been fortunate with Boucher, as he taught us at the Titans for three-four years. I know what he is about. He is one of the best cricketers to have ever played the game. He also brings a lot to the table with his experience. He has played international cricket for 13-15 years and with that comes a lot of knowledge, and it seems as if he is really hungry to pass on that knowledge down to the younger players. He wants everyone to do well, which is awesome for us as young cricketers,” he explained.
0
0
0
0
0
0
Comments
Sign up or log in to your account to leave comments and reactions
0 Comments