SA vs SL: SA players to make an anti-racism gesture during Boxing Day Test
The South African Test team will make an anti-racism gesture when they face Sri Lanka in the first Test Match on the Boxing Day. Mark Boucher, head coach of the Proteas has decided to support the movement after the interim board issued a statement of concern over the team not taking a knee when they returned to international cricket, last month. Whether they will take a knee or not will be known only on the eve of the match itself.
“We’ve had a lot of discussions since we’ve come into the bubble about this, especially after what the board statement was and the guys have come up with a meaningful gesture,” Boucher said. “That’s something the players will share with everyone before match day.”
Last Friday, the interim board criticized the team’s effort to not take a knee, however it stated that they will not force their decision on the players. It appears that the Proteas have taken the board’s concerns on board and have acted promptly on the same.
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“We appreciate the board isn’t looking to compel the team into doing anything one way or the other and that they are happy to allow the team to go through their process and come up with something meaningful to them,” Boucher said. “We are happy to engage further with them and what they would like to discuss at a more appropriate time.”
South African Cricket’s collision with the BLM movement started after Lungi Ngidi expressed hope that his team would join the rest of the world in making a stand. However, he was criticized by former players, all white.
“Do I want to play cricket? Absolutely: Mark Boucher
On Thursday, the Proteas squad cleared their final round of covid-19 testing. Both teams are housed at the Irene Country Club, a lifestyle estate near Centurion.
“It is very comfortable. It’s a great place. There’s a nice big dam out here,” Boucher said. “The guys have been doing a little bit of fishing, I always like to fish with a mate next to me but we can’t do that so the guys have got to fish by themselves. We’ve got a golf simulator that’s been set up for us here so that’s nice. The guys really like to play golf. It’s quite irritating that we’ve got Centurion Lakes and Irene right next to us that we can’t go to but these are things we’ve got to do in order to get some cricket.”
Boucher also added that he was desperate to see his side back in action against Sri Lanka on Boxing Day. With the England ODI series and the first class games being called off due to positive covid-19 cases, there has not been much cricket played in the Rainbow Nation.
“Do I want to play cricket? Absolutely. There’s no cricket going in South Africa at the moment, which is disturbing. We want the best for the players and we want to try and get these guys onto the field,” Boucher said. “It’s no use talking about the game of cricket. The best way to better yourself as a player is to get out there and go and play,” he added.
“From my side as a coach, I want the guys to go and play. If we have to go through certain hoops, albeit very strict things, to get us to play a game of cricket then we have to do it. I will drive from that a coaching perspective. With regards to the other stuff, that’s not my job to worry about. I will abide by what I have to do. There’s a lot of other things going on at the moment but these guys are going to play cricket.”