Cricket South Africa on Monday announced Shukri Conrad and Rob Walter as coaches of the country's Test and limited overs teams respectively.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Conrad, 55, a former first-class cricketer, has worked with many of South Africa's leading players as head coach of the South African Academy since 2014. He also coached the South African Under-19 team.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He has experience at senior domestic level with the Cape Cobras and Lions franchises and had a brief spell as head coach of the Uganda national team.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He takes over a Test side that has slumped to heavy defeats in recent away series against England and Australia -– and which has a severely curtailed programme over the next four years.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Proteas play a two-match series against the West Indies at the end of February and do not play another Test until India tour South Africa at the end of the year.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
But CSA chief executive Pholetsi Moseki said the appointment of a specialist Test coach was an indication of the importance of Test cricket despite CSA having reduced the number of fixtures in order to accommodate a new T20 league.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"We haven't relegated Test cricket to the margins," said Moseki. "We want to invest to get Test cricket back to the standard we expect."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
CSA director of cricket Enoch Nkwe said a "massive goal" for Walter was to work towards the 2027 Cricket World Cup which South Africa will co-host with Zimbabwe and Namibia.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
His first task, though, will be to ensure South Africa qualify for this year's World Cup and to "do our utmost best" at the tournament in India.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Walter was the South African team's strength and conditioning coach between 2009 and 2013 before becoming head coach of the Titans franchise.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He guided them to three titles in three seasons before moving to New Zealand in 2016, where he coached Otago and more recently Central Districts.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Both coaches will only start their jobs in February -– which means Walter will only take charge after South Africa play England in three one-day internationals later this month.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The two coaches replace former Test wicketkeeper Mark Boucher, who was contracted until the end of the World Cup later this year but resigned to take a job with the Mumbai Indians franchise in the Indian Premier League.<\/p>\r\n\r\n