The South African Test team seeks motivation from the recent victory of the national women’s team over Australia in a T20I. The victory was a landmark moment and South African Test coach Shukri Conrad expressed pride and interest in the achievement. In addition to the women’s victory, the national men’s football team, Bafana Bafana, also reached the quarter-finals of the African Cup of Nations. The women’s team and West Indies’ Test victory over Australia have all served to inspire South Africa’s Test team as they prepare to face New Zealand with a makeshift side.
Conrad highlighted the significance of drawing inspiration from these recent sporting achievements and specifically emphasized the impact of the women’s victory over Australia. He also noted the surprising outcome of Bafana Bafana’s performance. South Africa previously won an A series against the West Indies, which included a number of players who were part of the squad that drew a series against Australia. Conrad believes that this preparation has put his team in a strong position to compete against New Zealand.
South Africa’s intensive preparation for the New Zealand series included an early arrival in the country and a warm-up match, where several batters scored significant runs. The team also took some time off to experience the local culture. While there were no questions about the ongoing SA20 tournament, where many of the first-choice Test players are occupied, the South African squad remains focused on causing an upset in the upcoming series against New Zealand.
