South Africa ‘a tight unit’ ahead of WTC final

South Africa 'a tight unit' ahead of WTC final

South Africa's preparation for the WTC final against Australia at Lord's is in full swing. The team trained in nets erected on the field after the last day of their four-day match against Zimbabwe was abandoned due to rain.

United and Organised Squad

The Zimbabweans, who were observing the South Africans from close quarters, reported an impressively united and organised squad. "They're so tight," one of the Zimbos said. "They play cards together for hours, and you can see there's clarity about how they do things. They're doing this properly."

Planning and Preparation

South Africa's coach, Shukri Conrad, has been working with his team to prepare them for the final. "We did a lot of stuff before we came to England, and we're backing that up with plans for each individual around specific situations – old ball, new ball, that type of stuff," Conrad said. "But it's not like we pre-plan everything. We also leave room for in-the-moment stuff."

Mental Preparation

Conrad's focus is on getting the players mentally prepared for the final. "The main thing is about getting the players mentally prepared," he said. "It was a pity about this week; we could have spent more time in the middle. But you deal with it, which is also part of the mental prep."

Support from Stuart Broad

The team will receive support from Stuart Broad, who will share a meal and attend nets for an unpaid hour on Monday. "Maybe he will have one or two new ideas," Conrad said. "England have played against Australia a lot, and against them at Lord's a lot. That's probably the type of stuff we can get from him; a mental approach on how to play against Australia."

Kagiso Rabada's Return

Kagiso Rabada will play his first international since serving a one-month ban for cocaine use. "He's a strong personality; he's 100% fine," Conrad said. "He's had a good structure around him and people who have helped him and supported him. That's all you can ask for."

Coach Piet Botha's Perspective

Coach Piet Botha is a solid rather than a spectacular figure. He never played for South Africa, but he was a dependable allrounder in 118 first-class matches. "They're themselves," Botha said. "I think that's coach Shukri's whole philosophy – to get people to be themselves. I think they're in a good space to perform."