Independent Media cricket writer Zaahier Adams sits down with former Proteas batsman and new Cape Cobras coach Ashwell Prince.
Having done some commentary and been on the national selection panel after retiring, what made you pursue a career in coaching?
When you’re playing and coming towards the end of your career, you’re always thinking of what you are going to do next. Coaching has always been one of those options. I wasn’t sure exactly. I also enjoy working with young guys, mentoring them, teaching the basics of the game. But obviously having been involved at the top level of the game for so many years, as much as you like teaching kids the game, you also need that competitiveness of being at the highest level of the game you can be. There were other options, like commentary and selection, but I think having had a taste of all three I was fortunate to be given a taste of coaching last season where I was Roger’s (Telemachus) assistant to the SA Under-17 team at Cubs Week. That was my first introduction to team coaching, and then I went with the SA A team to Australia as a consultant. That’s why I felt this is where I really wanted to be. I then got a call from Paul (Adams) to assist with the Cobras, and at that stage I knew this is where I really wanted to be.
There has been a lot of criticism recently related to ex-players being awarded high-profile coaching jobs without the necessary coaching qualifications. What are your views on this issue?
I feel that in the past when I started, there was no Level 3, Level 4 in terms of qualifications for coaches. That was not the prerequisite. But I felt those people who coached during those times added a lot of value, had a lot to offer. From that point of view I don’t think it is a prerequisite. I feel I have a lot to offer. I feel those guys during those days had a lot to offer too. But having said that, I do feel there is value in doing your levels because coaching has evolved over the years. It’s not like when I started playing. There are different aspects and departments to coaching now. It is not just about teaching someone how to hold a bat or fix a technical issue. I am going to undertake my Level 3 during the off-season but I also feel there is a place for people who have played the game a long time.
One of your core values as player was your tremendous work ethic. Will you be expecting the same standards from your players now?
That is still what I expect from myself. I believe if you work hard enough you will reap the rewards. That will be the same for myself, and what I will be preaching to the players. There are certain things that I would like to see in the team. Obviously work ethic, discipline and focus when we come to work. Cricketers and sports people in general come to practice for two/three hours a day. It’s not like someone who goes into the office and sits behind a desk for eight hours. I want good focus and productive sessions. I don’t think you can learn anything if you come to training and simply go through the motions.
Once again as a player you had a reputation as firebrand on the field. The Cobras captain Dane Piedt has the opposite demeanour with a very relaxed approach. Do you think your “fire and Ice” relationship is beneficial to the team?
I’ve always felt the captain and coach relationship is vitally important. Only time will tell. If you look at previous good relationships, you always need one stronger character and one different character. I’m not necessarily saying Piedtie is a not a strong character. He’s a different character to me in that he will always see the lighter side of things. He’s always one of the guys leading the banter in the team. I think that’s a good combination. I am not saying he can’t be strong when he needs to be because he certainly can. The last thing you want is two people with a clash of character, egos, and personalities. People put me down as a certain type of player. I don’t think I ever went on to the field looking for a fight. If someone wanted to pick a fight I was always up for it. There’s a difference between going on to the field looking for a fight and other people just thinking they can step on your toes and do as they please. I was never going to allow that on the field and I don’t ever think there is anything wrong with any player standing up for what he believes in. I think maybe that’s where I was misunderstood as a player. I never went out there looking for trouble, but if you’re looking for trouble you will find it (laughs out loud).
How tough was it walking into the Cobras dressing-room at the beginning of the season with the team embroiled in all the off-field sagas?
In terms of your first coaching stint, it was tough. It was probably not the ideal environment to come into. There was a lot going on. There was a lot of unhappiness. For me, the biggest thing about being a competitive outfit on the field, competing, and winning trophies is that the environment needs to be right. Everything in terms of success is a product of a good environment. A trophy is a product of a good environment. Sometimes you can have very good players in an unhealthy environment and you will never see their true potential. I feel it is our duty to create that environment.
Have you cleared the air with the group of previously disgruntled players?
If players bring the right attitude the team will benefit. I have made that clear to them. My playing days were always about the team. Bring a good attitude every day. You come to training to add value and not to suck the life out of the team. Players need to understand the influence that they’re bringing into the environment. So, if we are trying to create a positive environment whereby we can get players to the national team and win trophies, we’re not going to achieve what we want if individuals are going to suck the life out of the environment. That message has been made clear.
Do you think the entire saga surrounding former coach Paul Adams could have been handled better by everyone concerned?
I prefer to focus on moving forward. Different people will have different opinions on how things could have been handled. I wanted to say this for a while though. I just want to say thank you to Paul though for bringing me on board. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be sitting here in this position. It’s a real unfortunate situation that things didn’t work out the way we wanted, that we couldn’t fix things together.
What goals have you set for Cobras for the remainder of the season?
We want to see an improvement from the first half of the competition. The One-Day Cup starts in a month’s time and we all start in the same position. We have as much chance as anyone to win that competition. The players are aware of that situation. We want to improve in the four-day competition and try and build momentum into the One-Day Cup. People know my character, I’m not one to give up and as long as there is a mathematical chance of us pushing for the Sunfoil Series title, we’re going to be fighting to the very end. It’s a big ask, but we’ll take it one game at a time.
A couple of talented players like Keegan Petersen and Beuran Hendricks have recently been sent on loan to other franchises. How do you feel about losing talent to other franchises?
I know people are asking why we are sending this player on loan, that player on loan. You must remember Western Province was always a strong province. Now, you have our neighbours Boland who form part of the franchise and South Western Districts. Boland have always been strong opposition to WP when we’ve played against them in the past. That means our talent pool is even bigger. Other provinces have always approached WP for our players and now they even have a bigger pool to approach because there is even more talent to pick from. From our side it’s not a case of sending players away because we think they can’t play for the Cobras. My personal perspective is that I know they can all play for the Cobras, but I can only pick 11 players. I need to see whether there is an opportunity for them to gain experience at this level. I would like to see them perform at franchise level and then us having the opportunity of calling them back.
Why have the Cobras struggled to nurture Black African talent?
The difficulty is not just getting a Black player to play at franchise level. The difficulty is getting anybody to play at franchise level because whether you’re black, Asian, coloured, Muslim, white … potential only means that much. At school they are all showing the same potential. Being black or coloured is not a disability. For me being coloured has never been a disability. I see the thing like this … I have a skill set and another player has a skill set. We get on the field and it’s me against you. Cricket is not about your father’s bank balance against my father’s bank balance. Yes, socio-economics play a role. It’s easier for some people to get to training than for other people. I had to take a taxi to get to practice, whereas my teammates who were affluent had parents who could drop them off. But for me, it’s not a disability in terms of your skill. It’s me against you. How I got to practice then becomes irrelevant. Our job as coaches is to make players understand what it takes to be a professional player.
Having played as a Kolpak cricketer in England, and having an understanding of the system, how do you think the current player movement will affect South African cricket?
I am of the understanding that CSA will make a call soon on how many Kolpak players franchises will be allowed to play and how they will be registered, in terms of as overseas player or Kolpak player, and whether they will only possibly allow one or two per team on the field. We don’t know and we are all waiting. Players want to know in terms of their contracts in regards to the way forward. In terms of the impact it has, if we have three Kolpaks/overseas players on the field that means you have three less players qualifying to play for South Africa. I think from a South African cricket point of view, you want all 11 players to be eligible for the Proteas. That’s first choice. However, young players need to play with experienced players (to learn) how to win trophies, how to win matches, and to win that match and get through a spell of bowling where nothing is happening and partnerships are growing. That is when the experience on the field is required to get through those tough times and hopefully young players learn from those tough times. You can’t just have 25-year-olds playing together, so it’s a tough balancing act from CSA’s point of view.
5 SHORT AND SHARP BOUNCERS
Port Elizabeth or Cape Town
Unfortunately Cape Town
Liverpool or Stormers
No question Liverpool! Not even close
Breyani or Braai
Braai … definitely