Proteas coach allays fears around Temba Bavuma’s fitness

Bavuma is one of the senior players left out of the squad for the tour of Namibia later this month, with the heavy summer schedule a major consideration for the coach. 

Conrad says Bavuma is injury free at the moment and will be ready for both the ODI and Test series against the Aussies.

"No Temba's good, he's obviously being built up. It's all good on the injury front, he's gonna be playing some warm up games for the Lions as they build up to the season and I think that will be a slightly longer format,” Conrad said. 

“In fact I had a chat with Allan Donald the other day. So, Temba is gonna be playing a lot of their warm up games. Temba's big mission is the ODI series against Australia but more importantly, the test series against Australia as we build the summer. 

“All the tests are a priority and we need to make sure that not only Temba but all of our players are primed for that. So, I'm very comfortable with where Temba is at and we'll definitely see him take the field for that first ODI against Australia."

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Conrad also spoke of his admiration for Gerald Coetzee despite his well-documented history on the injury front. 

He says Coetzee has shown commitment to impress the national selectors, which is why he’s part of the SA-A squad taking on Bangladesh-A from next week.

"He's obviously got a burning desire to get into the Proteas, both test and ODI side and as you rightly say his history is so checked with injuries that he needs to learn to trust his body until we then get to trust him,” the coach added. 

“We all know what Gerald is capable of, I've always been a fan of Gerald so much so that when I took on the test job he was one of the first guys in for me and nothing's changed in so much as I see him and what he can bring to the party. 

“I could tell you now he was offered another gig in the UK and he pretty much asked to play this side rather than go play in the UK because he wants to impress. 

“I think that's a wonderful start when you've got a Gerald Coetzee that's so hungry to impress and we are all hopeful that those injuries, catastrophic as you call them are something of the past and if there were to be another one going forward then it will be illegal more than anything else."