JOHANNESBURG: Enoch Nkwe, a coach with a single season’s experience at South African franchise level, was named on Friday as the Proteas’ interim team director for a tour of India next month.

“It is a tremendous honour and privilege to lead the Proteas as the interim team director,” the 36-year-old former all-rounder told the Cricket South Africa (CSA) website. “It is a special moment for me and my family and I will do my best to make a difference in this interim period.”

Nkwe collected two trophies in his first season in the 2018-19 season while taking charge of the Gauteng Lions franchise, as well as coaching the Jozi Stars T20 team which won the inaugural Mzansi Super League.

He was named coach of the year at last weekend’s annual awards function.

He takes over from Ottis Gibson, whose contract as head coach was not renewed after South Africa’s poor World Cup campaign earlier this year.

South Africa won only three of their nine matches in England and were never in the hunt for the semi-finals, a performance that prompted the governing body to radically overhaul their management team.

The new role of team director will be similar to that at top European football clubs where a technical director takes charge of the coaching staff and players.

Nkwe will now start a rebuilding of the Test side, which saw fast bowler Dale Steyn and star batsman Hashim Amla announce their retirements this week.

CSA announced last Sunday that the position of team director, with responsibilities for all aspects of the national team, would replace that of a head coach. The team director will report to a director of cricket.

It is hoped that permanent appointments in both positions will be made before England tour South Africa at the end of the year.

Acting director of cricket Corrie van Zyl said Nkwe’s appointment was ‘a result of his merits and balanced approach’.

“He is someone who complements the direction that will be taken by the team going forward,” said Van Zyl.

Nkwe had a moderate first-class playing record, scoring three centuries and averaging 28.06 with the bat in 42 matches.

He also took 29 wickets before a wrist injury ended his playing career.

He has coached the Gauteng provincial team and been assistant coach to the Dutch national team and the South African women’s team.

The tour includes South Africa’s first three Test matches in the newly-created Test championship when the team will be captained by Faf du Plessis who was named SA Cricketer of the Year last weekend.

The India tour, which includes three Tests and three Twenty20 Internationals, will be South Africa’s opening series in the new ICC Test Championship.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2019