DOMESTIC cricket was dominated by the Cobras this year, a fact underlined by their victory over the Warriors in the final of the One-Day Cup at Newlands on December 9.
The Cape Town franchise are the champions in all three forms of the game if you include their twin triumphs last season in the SuperSport Series and the Standard Bank Pro20.
And don’t bet against the Cobras cleaning up in the two remaining competitions this season, with the team well placed in the first-class event and looking to repeat their 20/20 triumph of last term.
If coach Richard Pybus and skipper Justin Kemp could do that, it would be an unprecedented achievement, certainly in the franchise era.
The Cobras’ triumph this month represented the ninth trophy (if you count the SS Series trophy that the Titans shared with the Dolphins in 2005/6) that Pybus has won in the franchise era, a country mile ahead of any other coach.
Although most of his silverware came during his coaching stint with the Titans, Pybus has already picked up three in a season-and-a-half with his new franchise.
Asked to compare two of his major priorities: winning trophies for the franchise and producing international players, Pybus said he had to serve “both masters”.
“Of course, (franchise) boards want to win trophies, and so do I as a coach, but I’ve found it even more rewarding to work with players from young ages and see them make it through to international cricket.
“The latest example is, of course, Vernon Philander, but I’d also worked with Kemp, Mark Boucher and Makhaya Ntini (from Pybus’ time as coach of Border) and it’s fascinating to be part of the circle of their cricketing development.”
Two other young stars with whom Pybus is working are Richard Levi (who has already been included in the Proteas’ T20 squad) and the other talented opening batsman Mohammed Vallie.
One of Pybus’ problems is keeping all the players happy at the Cobras, on account of the extraordinary depth of talent available to him. Look at the team that won the One-Day Cup, and the large number of top-class cricketers who weren’t able to find a place in it.
But Pybus, who is the CSA Coach of the Year for his achievements last season, seems unconcerned about this, saying the battle for places is the immutable “law of competition”.
Nor is he worried about the well of talent running dry.
“I think that some regions may not pay enough attention to (developing) their own talent, but in my view there’s loads of talent available throughout the country.”
He described the Western Cape cricket culture as “unique”, saying that it was closer to the West Indian culture than the normal South African way of playing the game. “Historically, the culture is more broadly spread and the players approach the game more intuitively than in the ‘Model C’ approach you find elsewhere. It certainly represents a different challenge for me, and it’s important not to be too rigid in my approach and to make sure I give the guys room in which to express themselves.”
The Cobras were unable to reach the final stages of the T20 Champions League in India, but the only domestic competition to escape their clutches last season was the MTN40, which was won by the Knights when they beat the Titans by five wickets. After Faf du Plessis struck his third century of the competition (a run of form that earned him a place in the Proteas World Cup team), the rain-affected match was won by Knights’ opener Morné van Wyk, who struck a brilliant unbeaten 85 in 70 balls.
Last season’s 40-over competition was changed for the better this year with the number of overs being increased to 50 and the number of players being reduced from 13 to 11. These changes, it was felt, would help to make South Africa more competitive at the next World Cup.
Two particular improvements are that batsmen are now able to build an innings, and that the value of all-rounders is emphasised.
If there has been a lot of excellent cricket on the field, a dark cloud has hovered over the administration of the game. The investigation into the finances and governance of Cricket South Africa, being conducted by Judge Chris Nicholson, represents a scar on the face of the game. The fact that two out of this season’s three domestic competitions have not been sponsored is a clear indication that until CSA’s nest is given a good scouring, corporate South Africa will continue to keep their hands in their pocket.