The Proteas’ recent defeat to the Netherlands in Adelaide ranks alongside the Springboks’ loss to Japan in 2015 as one of sport’s biggest upsets. The result defied all expectations as, while few expected Mark Boucher’s charges to win the T20 World Cup in Australia, no one predicted they would exit the tournament in such an abject way.

Players and coaches have taken responsibility for another failed World Cup campaign, but the future of the team – in all three formats – is uncertain. Since the Adelaide disaster, anger and frustration have made way for resignation and despair.

As Boucher opts out of his post – a year before the end of his contract – the group looks set for another period of rebuilding.

A Test series victory in Australia next month seems unlikely, and a chance to play in the World Test Championship final next June may go begging. South Africa are yet to qualify for the 50-over World Cup.

Yet perspective is needed when assessing the state of affairs. There have been bright and encouraging moments in the past three years, on and off the field. Mistakes have been made and issues remain unresolved but, by and large, key players have tried to drag South African cricket out of the dark.

The appointment of Graeme Smith as director of cricket in December 2019, and subsequently Boucher as head coach, signalled a move in the right direction. Then the Covid-19 crisis hit hard.

Self-serving and counterproductive actions of the CSA board wrecked South Africa’s reputation at home and abroad. The protracted Social Justice Hearings in 2021 yielded “tentative” findings, and eventually disciplinary charges against Smith and Boucher were dropped. While issues raised in these hearings were worthy of scrutiny, the process itself was flawed and an opportunity to make more meaningful change was missed.

The damage took its toll. Smith resigned in March 2022. Six months later, Boucher confirmed he would leave the Proteas after the T20 World Cup in Australia.

Mark Boucher (coach) of South Africa during the 1st KFC T20 International match between South Africa and Australia at Imperial Wanderers Stadium on February 21, 2020 in Johannesburg. (Photo by Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images)

None of this should be used as an excuse for the Proteas’ one-off performance against the Netherlands. But, to be fair, this is the environment in which the coaches and players have been forced to operate for the better part of three years.

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As Lungi Ngidi said ahead of the tour to England in July, the players have relished rare moments they have been allowed to focus on cricket and cricket alone. Like Ngidi, captain Temba Bavuma has spoken about the complicated issues that need resolving, while at the same time highlighting the emotional toll several related incidents have taken on the team.

The Proteas should never lose to a side like the Netherlands, 17th on the ICC T20I rankings. But, given circumstances stifling South African cricket, they should not be expected to win any major trophies either.

Proteas captain Temba Bavuma attempts a catch during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup match against Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 3 November 2022. (Photo: Cameron Spencer / Getty Images)

Viewing the Boucher era through this prism, surprisingly there were notable successes.

South African cricket was in free-fall when Smith brought Boucher into the mix in December 2019, days before a four-Test series against England at home.

The Proteas went on to lose that series 3-1. Post-Covid, however, they won four out of seven series – including a triumph against India, who were ranked No 1 in the format at the time. The fighting spirit instilled by Boucher and skipper Dean Elgar ensured an impressive draw in New Zealand.

Boucher’s Test team never warranted comparison to the great South African side of 2012. Batting issues persisted, and high scores – particularly centuries – were few.

The bowling unit impressed, though, and overall the side showed character.

Turning the T20 ship around

Over three years, the Proteas won 52% of their T20Is – a record that included just five out of 11 bilateral series wins and two T20 World Cup exits at the group stage. Those numbers don’t tell the full story, though.

After Boucher was appointed, the Proteas lost six series in a row. From June 2021, however, they won five of their next six series, and may have added a massive scalp if the decider of a five-game rubber against India in 2021 was not rained out. 

Ultimately, the T20 journey ended with capitulation at the World Cup in Australia. Many made the point that this was typical of a South African side at an ICC tournament.

More specifically, the Proteas failed to show the accuracy and character that defined them in the preceding months. The selection of Bavuma didn’t cost the side the result in Adelaide, but it was one of the selectors’ biggest mistakes of the campaign, given the skipper was out of touch and Reeza Hendricks was in the form of his life.

It’s hard to find many positives in the form of the ODI side in recent years. A win record of 46% over 28 games speaks for itself.

South Africa lost a series to Pakistan and Bangladesh at home and, though their away schedule was hit by Covid, they didn’t manage to claim a single series victory overseas.

In a broader sense, how much hinged on the T20 result against the Netherlands?

The Proteas should have won comfortably in Adelaide and progressed to the T20 World Cup semifinals. Perhaps they would have prevailed against New Zealand – who went on to lose to Pakistan – and perhaps not.

But if they’d returned to South Africa having lost to the Kiwis in the playoffs, few would have described their campaign as an unmitigated disaster. To reiterate, they were never favourites for the title.

Boucher was always expected to hand the coaching reins to Malibongwe Maketa for the Australia Test tour. Whether they won or lost in Adelaide, the Proteas were looking at a tougher road to the 50-over World Cup.

And yet there are consequences to the result when you consider the Proteas travel to Australia next month with little confidence or belief. South Africa have won the past three-Test series in Australia, but will be hard-pressed to prevail Down Under with an inexperienced side.

As Bavuma stated, it will take some time to recover from disappointment at the T20 World Cup. Even in a different format, some players will carry those scars for a long time.

The Boucher era proved there is always hope of a turnaround, though, and that South African players have talent and determination to be competitive.

The pressure is on the new director of cricket Enoch Nkwe, as well as the men installed as coaches across the formats, to harness that potential while coping with the off-field challenges. DM

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R25.