‘We can beat Australia’: Conrad backs Proteas to win Test title

They will enter the match as underdogs, but Proteas coach Shukri Conrad says the national team will back themselves by sticking to their processes ahead of next month’s World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord’s in London.

Conrad named a familiar-looking 15-man squad yesterday, led by regular captain Temba Bavuma.

The national team welcome back Lungi Ngidi, who returns to the Test fold for the first time since October last year, as well as Kagiso Rabada, who recently served a one-month suspension for drug use.

All-rounders Marco Jansen, Wiaan Mulder and Corbin Bosch are also in the squad, as are spinners Keshav Maharaj and Senuran Muthusamy.

The batting department is also stacked. Besides Bavuma, the squad includes Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs and David Bedingham. Kyle Verreynne will be the wicketkeeper.

Sticking to processes

Conrad said they were not planning to do anything differently in comparison to the processes they followed in getting them through to the final.

“I don’t think we’re going to do anything differently, really, because we’ve embarked on a certain way we do things,” Conrad said.

“The one thing I wanted to have in selection was consistency, and I think we’re arrived at that, so ultimately it’s going to come down to how well we prepare.

“We’ve got a warm-up game against Zimbabwe and that will be coupled with whatever work we put in outside of that, which is going to have to be good enough.

“I don’t think we need to be doing anything out of the ordinary in order to beat Australia.”

‘We are underdogs’

The Proteas were widely considered to have been given an easier path to the World Test Championship final than some of their opponents.

However, while he admitted they were not the favourites to clinch their maiden title, Conrad was confident the SA team had a good chance of beating their more fancied opposition.

“We probably go in as underdogs, and rightly so, not because of our ability but maybe just inexperience,” he said.

“But I’m very confident that when we play our best, we have every chance of beating them. We’re not just happy to compete… and I give us more than an even chance of winning this Test match.

“We’ve got some helluva players, our bowling attack will always be threatening, and certainly in our batting line-up we have the ability to put the Aussies under the pump as well.”