Newly-appointed head coach Mark Boucher warns England ahead of upcoming Test series

Amidst continuing woes for South African cricket, the board on Saturday, December 14, officially appointed former wicketkeeper Mark Boucher as the head coach of the national team. Soon after assuming office, Mark Boucher hinted at some changes and steps to resolve the crisis of the sport in the country. Boucher assumed the position during a period where the South African team has witnessed a string of defeats in Test cricket including two home defeats against Sri Lanka and a series whitewash against India away. Ahead of the upcoming Test series against England, head coach Mark Boucher warned the England side, while addressing the reporters. Boucher said, "They (England) have been saying a lot of things in the media and I have a message for them: Beware a wounded buffalo, especially in Africa." 

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'Our confidence is a bit down'

Head coach Mark Boucher on Sunday, December 15, stated that he had been involved with a South African side that has witnessed some tough times and one of the toughest times was the Hansie Cronje saga and right after that they beat Australia. Boucher added that he thinks the team now stands a good chance of turning their fortunes around but there is still a lot of work that needs to be done.

"Our confidence is a bit down, but there’s a wealth of knowledge in this country that can get utilized. We have got the talent and potential with us, it just needs to be harnessed. The players also need to be given the space to try and perform their best” Boucher said.

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'He is one of the best players'

As de Villiers continues his stint with franchise T20 cricket across the leagues in the world, the former Proteas skipper might add extra value to the South African side for the upcoming T20 World Cup in 2020. While speaking to ESPN, Boucher said, "Going into the World Cup, you want your best players to feature in your squad. If I feel he is one of the best players, why wouldn't I want to have a conversation with him? I have just got the job. I might have conversations with quite a few players and see where they are." The newly-appointed head coach also added that the team needs its best players when it comes to the World Cup and if there are a few issues that need to be resolved with the media and the teammates and if it is good for the national side then why not do it? 

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