Shukri Conrad left to rue missed chances

High drama in the last over saw South Africa go from needing just seven runs from six balls left, to being desperate to find the boundary with the last ball as Matt Henry displayed an exhibition with ball in hand, coupled with some brilliant fielding.

In the end, a dot ball to Senuran Muthusamy condemned Conrad’s men to a 3-run loss, and the coach was gutted to not get over the line.

"It was a game of millimetres. Going into the last over, needing seven runs, of course, you would back yourself to get over the line, especially with a settled batter at the crease.

"Dewald Brevis did get a ball he would usually hit out of Harare, but found the toe end of the bat. These are ifs and but's but it just wasn't meant to be," the coach said after the tense match.  

READ: South Africa U19 youngster smashes international records in Harare

While disappointed, Conrad did tick some boxes in the match, especially in the field where he’s previously expressed concern.

He felt that they did well to restrict the total to a reachable 180 at the death.

With Dewald Brevis still at the crease in the final over and having scored 31 off 16 balls, you’d bet your bottom dollar that South Africa would get over the line.

You would have also lost it because he was dismissed with four balls to spare, but the coach couldn’t stop singing his praises.

"Brevis is a special talent, so he'll be hugely disappointed that he didn't take us home, but on another day, he would've taken us over the line and hit that ball out of Harare. 

"He is probably one of the sweetest strikers of the ball around today, and it's a simple case of when he gets us over the line again," praised Conrad. 

He also applauded Reeza Hendricks’ level of maturity after also contributing with 37, despite the disappointment of not making the Australian tour squad named earlier in the week.

The coach admitted that he’s fallen down the pecking order, and he prefers Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickleton as his openers.