Ashwell Prince has been confirmed as the head coach for the Cape Town Blitz in the Mzansi Super League.
The Blitz made the announcement on their social media channels on Tuesday.
Former Proteas captain Prince was always expected to take charge of the new MSL T20 side that will be based at Newlands, as he is also the Cape Cobras coach.
Cricket South Africa have largely tried to keep the management and coaching teams the same for this new T20 tournament, compared to the total overhaul that was already in place for the now-abandoned T20 Global League.
Prince said at the tournament launch in Johannesburg this week that putting a squad together will be “difficult” at the player draft on Wednesday.
“It’s only fair if the matrix comes out and it spits out combinations, where everybody has a fair go. Today’s the first time where we’ve been introduced to the draft and where our picks are going to be, so now it gives us a better opportunity to put a squad together,” he told the Cricket SA website.
“It is still going to be difficult. I’ve had bits and pieces of advice from people who’ve done the draft before, and they’ve advised us to try to do a kind of gimmick draft – just in case some of the people who you thought you were really going to get, is snapped up just before you have your pick.
“Then you have two minutes to come up with a different name.”
But while said that he loved the logo and the name of the Cape Town Blitz, he received a setback earlier on Tuesday as the Blitz marquee Proteas player, JP Duminy, was ruled out of the event due to a shoulder injury that will require surgery.
Proteas wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock will now take over from Duminy at the Blitz.
We’re excited to announce Proteas legend @ashyp_5 as our head coach for the #MSLT20🙌 #CTBlitz pic.twitter.com/a4U0QJNqfY