After a lean patch of two years, the South African team finally managed to grab a Test series win under their belt as they complete a 2-0 series whitewash over visitors, Sri Lanka.
Continuing their red hot form from the first match, where they crunched Sri Lanka with an innings defeat, the Proteas wrapped up the second Test in less than two-and-a-half-days and avenged their embarrassment of the 2019 series defeat.
South Africa coach Mark Boucher hailed a first series win for his side following a lean run of form over the last two years and felt that series win will give them much needed momentum going ahead.
“First of all, it’s just good to get a win under our belts. Our batsmen got among the runs, spent a good time in the middle and so that will have given them a lot of confidence for our next series in Pakistan and then against Australia. They can build on that momentum”, Mark Boucher said in a virtual news conference.
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“If you look at our bowling attack, there are only a handful of caps between them and so a lot of inexperience there. They learnt a lot of lessons and they learnt them very quickly as well. It’s a group that is growing and as long as we see the growth we are happy. The way they responded to a few harsh words that were needed at times was good and is something to build on,” he added.
South Africa now prepare to visit Pakistan for the first time in 14 years for a two-match Test series later this month. They then host Australia in February and March.
South Africa had lost eight of their previous nine Tests, five of them at home, going into the Sri Lanka series at the end of the 11-month COVID-19 enforced break.
Head coach Mark Boucher believes that there is a lot of work to be done but they are heading in the right direction.
“By no means are we a finished product. There is still a lot of hard work to be done but the guys understand that. We are going to make mistakes along the way but as long as we keep learning from those mistakes, then we are heading in the right direction,” said Boucher.
After a tough 18-month period, it finally looked like there is light at the end of the tunnel for the Quinton de Kock-led South African team as they enter the Top 5 in ICC Test team rankings.
(Reuters input)
