![\"Shukri](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/shukri-conrad-overlooks-the-sa.jpg\" "\\"Shukri")
<\/p>\nSOUTH AFRICA CRICKET <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Shukri Conrad overlooks the SA team practice ahead of the WTC final \u00a9 Getty<\/p>\n
Not many people could be the dot connecting Stuart Broad with Heinrich Klaasen. Not many people are Shukri Conrad. <\/p>\n
CSA said on Monday that Broad would “join” South Africa’s men’s squad on June 9 at Lord’s. “He will be working as a consultant for the day to help the team with their preparation for the WTC final” against Australia at Lord’s from June 11. <\/p>\n
Cue breathless bumptiousness in the British press. “South Africa turn to Stuart Broad to help beat Australia” went one headline. The first paragraph: “Stuart Broad will reopen his long-running, box office battle with Australia when he takes up a coaching consultancy role with South Africa ahead of the World Test Championship final at Lord’s this month.” Another piece said Broad would “help the [South Africa] team out with training and planning ahead of the game”. <\/p>\n
What was Conrad’s involvement with Broad? <\/p>\n
“It’s more his involvement with us,” Conrad said on Tuesday. “As the saying goes, don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story. And people have gone to town on Stuart Broad’s involvement.” <\/p>\n
What was the truth? “I reached out to him via Ashwell [Prince], because they know each other.” Prince, South Africa’s batting coach, played for Nottinghamshire in 2008, Broad’s debut season with the county. <\/p>\n
“I said to him, ‘Stuart, [is there] any way we can get together, spend some time – primarily with the coaches – and share whatever you’ve got’,” Conrad said. “So he’s coming for dinner with the coaches, and then he’s probably going to spend an hour or so at our nets. He’s definitely not a full-time consultant, or [part of the set-up] for the entire time we’re here. But it’d be foolish of me not to tap into whatever [intellectual property] there is. <\/p>\n
“He’s current, he’s been successful against Australia, he knows how to bowl at Lord’s and the nuances that come with bowling from the respective ends.” <\/p>\n
Broad took 604 wickets at 27.68 in his 167 Tests, 153 at 28.96 in his 40 matches against Australia – including his career-best of 8 for 15 at Trent Bridge in August 2015. In the same way the English have convinced themselves Britain was once great and that the British ended slavery – ignoring the fact that they sustained it – they can’t not see Broad as the all-time Aussie annihilator. <\/p>\n
That’s not a myth Conrad was about to buy into: “It’s also about not wanting to give and share too much information. That can also be dangerous. And he understands. But I’m looking forward to what Broady can share with us.” <\/p>\n
And then there’s Klaasen, who retired from Test cricket in January 2024 – a year after Conrad was appointed South Africa’s red-ball coach. On Monday, Klaasen, only 33 and among the game’s most ruthless finishers, called quits on his white-ball international career. <\/p>\n
Conrad became the Proteas’ all-format coach last month, and said “when South Africa plays we want our best players available”. Klaasen is among the most sought after franchise players. Was Conrad’s stated approach, which would cost Klaasen money, why the latter walked away? <\/p>\n
“I’d be disappointed if it was because we didn’t have a conversation,” Conrad said. “If guys had signed deals prior to me coming on board I certainly wasn’t going to come in and say they’ve got to withdraw. So, without us ever having had a conversation, I’d be disappointed if that was why he retired. <\/p>\n
“I know Heinrich from when he was at the [CSA] academy. He kept [wickets] in the academy sides when I was the coach. I’d be surprised if he was as short-sighted as that. I think he’s got good reasons for why he’s retired and we’ve got to respect that.” <\/p>\n
Conrad also sounded hopes that the door Klaasen had shut could be prised open: “Once the dust has settled and I manage to sit down with Klaasie, then we’ll try and see what his plans are. But we’ve got to respect his decision, and I’m sure he’s done it for good reasons.” <\/p>\n
Conrad made the point that Klaasen turned down CSA’s offer of a full contract – but accepted a white-ball deal – in April; before Conrad became the coach in the shorter formats. <\/p>\n
Connect these dots, Conrad seemed to say. And that he is not among them. <\/p>\n
\u00a9 Cricbuzz <\/p>\n
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