Hilton Moreeng has been reappointed as the head coach of the Proteas women’s team for another three years, having built the women’s programme into one of the best in the world since taking the job in 2012.

“It’s a great privilege for me to be re-elected in this position. It shows the confidence that the management of Cricket South Africa has in the work that’s being done. It’s now an opportunity that we have, with the team that we feel have been growing of age, to start challenging for that ICC silverware,” said Moreeng at a virtual press conference.

Following an impressive run to the semi-finals of the T20 Women’s World Cup in Australia back in March 2020, where the Proteas were edged out by the hosts and eventual champions, Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) management announced that it would review the side’s management – including the position of head coach.

Moreeng, whose contract expired after the World Cup, reapplied for the position. And after what CSA Director of Cricket Graeme Smith termed a rigorous screening and interview process, the 42-year-old was given the mandate to continue his work.

Smith said the decision was driven by Moreeng’s impressive presentation during his interview, as well as the need for continuity going into the 2021 One Day International (ODI) World Cup in New Zealand and the 2022 T20 World Cup in South Africa.

“Hilton and Dané van Niekerk have formed an impressive leadership team for the Proteas and Hilton’s reappointment also means there will be consistency on the road ahead,” Smith said. “The Proteas are now well-positioned to bid for that World Cup.”  

During his near eight years in charge, Moreeng has led the Proteas to two semi-finals – the 2017 World Cup in England, followed by the 2020 T20 World. He has also steered them to automatic qualification for the 2021 World Cup in New Zealand.

With the help of CSA, and especially their Player Pathways division which is headed by Edward Khoza, Moreeng has cultivated a culture of self-belief and a winning mentality in the players.

He has created a team which is a mixture of experience, with the likes of  Ayabonga Khaka, Shabnim Ismail and Mignon du Preez, and youth with the likes of Laura Wolvaardt and Nonkululeko Mlaba.  

At times though, he has been accused of being overly comfortable and complacent in the position, because of the lesser public scrutiny of the women’s team. However, Moreeng was at pains to point out that this couldn’t be further from the truth.

“In this environment, you cannot become complacent, because it changes every day,” he said. 

“You have to keep working extremely hard and keep improving, and keep up with the times as a coach because the players have become great competitors in world cricket – they are representing the country very well. So, we have to make sure that the management put together going forward is going to be able to compliment that.”

Smith said Moreeng was one of three final candidates that were interviewed by CSA. He also pledged to provide Moreeng with all the support he may need on his quest to become the first senior cricket national coach to clinch a World Cup for South Africa.

Following the return to training of the Proteas’ men’s side last month, CSA confirmed that final plans for the women’s side to return to training are near conclusion and will be in line with the medical guidelines laid out by CSA’s medical team and the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture.

Moreeng’s team was due to travel to the West Indies in June, but the tour was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. A tour of England, comprising four ODIs and two T20s, was originally scheduled to start on 1 September. Smith confirmed that they were playing it by ear, due to the uncertainty of whether international travel will be permitted by then.

The CSA director also added they were in talks with the England Cricket Board (ECB) and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding the possibility of a tri-series. DM