Proteas on the right path but ‘where to from here’ for coach Mark Boucher?

Johannesburg - ‘Where to from here?’ came the innocent inquiry to Mark Boucher following the Test series in New Zealand.

That’s a loaded question for Boucher. He chose, as he has done in the last few months, to focus entirely on the national men’s team that he coaches.

“Bangladesh, another tough series,” he said. “We’re very much in the Test Championship at the moment. We’ve got to learn from the mistakes, but we are heading down the right road.”

Whether the journey will still see him at the helm as head coach will be determined after Bangladesh’s tour - which encompasses three ODIs and two Tests. Boucher faces a disciplinary hearing to be chaired by Adv. Terry Motau SC in May, with Cricket SA seeking his dismissal for “gross misconduct.”

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Boucher has been very clear about not answering questions related to the hearing, and players have emphasised that it has had no effect on performances.

They can certainly be taken at their word, given how brilliantly the Proteas recovered to beat the world Test champions New Zealand in the second Test in Christchurch on Tuesday.

“The guys showed a lot of character. It’s one thing to lose a Test match, it’s another thing to lose in the way we did, which was very disappointing,” said Boucher.

“The nice thing was that there was no sense of panic. The realisation was that we just didn’t rock up and it is very difficult to judge guys’ skills when you don’t rock up. There was an understanding of what we needed to bring to the table for the second Test.”

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