Malibongwe Maketa has been appointed as the Proteas Interim coach for their tour of Australia. Picture: Gavin Barker, BackpagePix
Cape Town – Malibongwe Maketa will lead the Proteas’ Men’s Team to Australia for the three-Test series next month.
Maketa, 42, was appointed on an interim basis on Wednesday by Cricket SA. Current coach Mark Boucher resigned last month to take up the post at Indian Premier League franchise Mumbai Indians.
The on-going T20 World Cup in Australia will be Boucher’s last assignment as national team head coach.
Maketa, who is currently the South Africa A coach and National Academy Lead, is no stranger to the Proteas’ Men’s team dressing room, having served as part of the back-room staff on the recent tour of England.
ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) November 2, 2022
Current South Africa A coach Malibongwe Maketa has been appointed the #Proteas interim head coach for the upcoming three-match Test tour of Australia 👏
Read More 🔗 https://t.co/sKIHkf9L4y#BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/rEOof81kJZ
He was also former Proteas coach Ottis Gibson’s assistant leading up to the 2019 World Cup in the United Kingdom.
“We are pleased to name Malibongwe as our interim coach to lead the Proteas in Australia. He is a familiar face to the environment and has worked in the same space previously when he served as assistant coach,” CSA Director of Cricket Enoch Nkwe said.
“Mali knows most of the players well; they know him too; and with such a short time between now and the tour, we as Cricket South Africa felt we needed someone who could step in immediately and lead us through what is an important series for the Proteas.
“We would like to wish him well on his appointment. He has our full support, and we have no doubt he will do South Africans proud in this series.”
CSA Chief Executive Officer, Pholetsi Moseki also said: “Malibongwe has earned respect and acclaim as a coach and a leader. This interim appointment is in recognition of his ability to ingratiate himself into any system and assure continuity. As no stranger to the Proteas setup, I am confident that he will acquit himself well and hit the ground running.
The Australian series is their penultimate series of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC). South Africa find themselves placed second on the table behind Australia following two series wins, one loss and one draw in the second cycle of the WTC.
South Africa Test Tour to Australia Fixtures
17 – 21 December 2022
Australia vs South Africa – The Gabba, Brisbane
26 – 30 December 2022
Australia vs South Africa – MCG, Melbourne
04 – 08 January 2023
Australia vs South Africa – SCG, Sydney