Dhaka, Bangladesh - The Nando’s branch on Road 16 in Dhaka received a rather large takeaway order from the Sheraton Hotel on Thursday night from South Africans eager for a taste of home after six weeks on the road.
It was for a Proteas team dinner, a process of ensuring a squad of players and management are kept focused and happy on a journey they hope will last until April 2. The sense of “team” is strong, almost overwhelming, more so from the younger and newer members. A few hours before he tucked into the grilled peri-peri chicken from a franchise that is making slow inroads into the sub-continent, Colin Ingram reflected that having a hunger for a taste of success and playing time is what keeps him and anyone who misses out on the starting XI going.
He, too, is making slow inroads into the South African set up and is content to bide his time. He watched for four games and played with distinction in the fifth, falling four runs short of a half century on his World Cup debut.
“It’s not difficult to stay motivated in this team, not at all, especially in this team” said Ingram. “The guys have got a good thing going here.
“They’re almost too supportive sometimes, you get almost too many hugs in a day if you’re not playing. You’re obviously disappointed (when you don’t play), I really enjoy playing cricket, but it’s made a lot easier by the support of the guys.
“If you take the mindset of that it’s a good growth for my game as well.”
Henning Gericke has been employed as the team psychologist, although he would prefer to be referred to as a “mental conditioning coach”, as he was when he worked with Springboks when they won the World Cup in 2007.
Graeme Smith said that in the mayhem of celebrations after they beat India in Nagpur, Gericke may have got a black eye in the wild hugs that became nigh-on rugby tackles. “Henning is great to have around, he’s brought something totally different to the side. He said the other day that ‘we’re a little bit rougher than the rugby team’,” said Ingram.
The South Africans have been very aware that in a sport that can sometimes be as individual as cricket that there is a danger of becoming too insular. From the first few weeks, when they spent time in Banglore, South Africa have made an effort to spend time together away from the field. The wives and girlfriends have been with the squad for a few weeks, dressed in pink adidas tops to mark them as an integral part of the team culture. Interaction is ongoing and vital.
“(Cabin fever) was something that was discussed before we came out here, something for the guys to be conscious of, that they don’t get trapped in their rooms,” said Ingram.
“We got the social committee (JP Duminy, Morné Morkel and Rob Walters) and they’ve kept us busy. We’ve had a few nights out, a few movie evenings. Keeps the guys together.”
Ingram’s Warriors teammates Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Wayne Parnell are the only two players who have not had a run in the tournament thus far, and while there is a chance they may get a run on Saturday against Bangladesh, that is not guaranteed.
They are not the only ones. Johan Botha is nominally South Africa’s front line spinner, yet missed two games after opening the bowling in New Delhi against the West Indies.
“I wouldn’t say you are ever content at not getting a game. They’re dealing with it very well and there’s a good feeling in the camp. Johan has been very positive about having more spin options. He’s said that most of the times he’s played that he’s often been the only spinner. He says it’s a positive for South African cricket.
“I’ve seen from when I joined the squad last year that there has been a big push to created a big team culture and that’s extremely important,” said Ingram.
“Maybe looking back that was something that wasn’t focused on as much before. We’ve been bringing in all sorts of little things, like songs and other things, just to keep building that culture. I walked into the team from day one and that has been tremendous for me.” - The Star