Former Proteas spin bowler Paul Adams is expected to be named the new Cape Cobras coach early next week.
Adams, 35, as well as Barney Mohammed, Salieg Nackerdien and Andy Moles, were interviewed earlier this month for the coaching job at the local franchise, after the surprise resignation of incumbent Richard Pybus in March, two years into his three-year contract.
It is understood that Adams, who has the least experience of those interviewed in terms of having mentored teams, has got the main job.
As with any change in leadership of this kind, there are potentially other changes in terms of the range of assistants to be appointed, and an official announcement is expected once these details have been finalised.
Adams does bring his experience as an international in the modern era to the job. He has also coached the Western Cape academy (the young talent of WP and Boland) for two years, has been a spin-bowling consultant to Cricket South Africa, and was assistant coach for the Impi in the domestic T20 competition last summer. He has also featured regularly as a commentator on television.
For the Proteas, the left-arm wrist-spinner played 45 Tests (134 wickets) and 24 ODIs (29 wickets). His last international was in a Test against New Zealand in 2004. He also represented the Western Cape franchise between 1995 and 2008.
Pybus said that he was undermined in his job by a range of issues to do with chief executive Andre Odendaal and the franchise. This had made continuing in the position untenable. Pybus is now coach of Bangladesh, who yesterday beat the Proteas in a T20 match in Zimbabwe.
Another consideration surrounds who is going to captain the Cobras next season. Justin Kemp has quit the job, but is still a member of the squad.
Candidates for the position include Justin Ontong and Andrew Puttick, both of whom have led the side in the past.
The Cobras’ new coach will immediately have to settle an unease which surfaced in the squad last season, around a range of issues. The situation led to a player delegation meeting with Odendaal. - Weekend Argus