After Gerald Coetzee finished top of the wicket-takers list during the New Zealand T20I series earlier this year — and, more importantly, came through the five-match series unscathed — the fiery fast bowler would be forgiven for thinking he was a sure bet to form part of the Proteas squads for the upcoming white-ball tour to Namibia at the end of the month.
Instead, Coetzee has been overlooked in favour of all-rounders Duan Jansen and Eathan Bosch and has been drafted into the SA ‘A’ squads to face Bangladesh ‘A’ in two four-day and three one-day matches over the same period.
Back in March, after the first T20I against the Black Caps in Mount Maunganui, the 25-year-old admitted, “Where I’m in the pecking order, I don’t really know,” but went further by stating: "I'm playing now, which is great, and that will be my focus — just to play where I can to do my best.”
Since then, Proteas coach Shukri Conrad has sat down with the injury-prone paceman and feels it’s best for Coetzee to put as many bowling miles into his legs as possible, especially with a long Test season ahead.
“This conversation started when I was in the UK and Gerald joined the ‘A’ side there. He's obviously got a burning desire to get into the Proteas, both the Test and ODI sides," Conrad explained.
“He was offered an (English county contract), and he pretty much asked me to play in the SA ‘A’ side rather than play in the UK, because he wants to impress. And I think that's a wonderful start when you've got a Coetzee who's hungry to impress.
“We are all hopeful that all the injuries are a thing of the past. Gerald forms a huge part of our attack going forward.”
Conrad believes that Coetzee missing out on the Namibian series will do his chances of staking a claim for a more permanent international return no harm at all, especially as he is fully aware of the X-factor qualities he possesses.
“We all know what Gerald is capable of. I’ve always been a huge fan,” he said.
“He was one of the first guys (I selected) when I took the Test coaching job. Nothing has changed from my side about how I see him and what he can bring to the party.”
He has even gone as far as identifying a definitive role for Coetzee, particularly in ODIs, where he would be tasked with charging in during the middle overs with the intent to pick up wickets.
“Gerald forms a huge part of our pace attack going forward,” Conrad said. “He's got genuine pace. We've seen the value of someone with pace both in the Test side, but also, more importantly, in the ODI side.
“If I go back to England and when they won the World Cup in 2019, I thought the unsung hero for them was someone like Liam Plunkett, who ran in and bowled in the middle periods with that pace and bounce. I see Gerald doing a similar job if he's fit and firing.
"So, he's a huge part of our thinking going forward. And I'm hopeful that the injury woes are a thing of the past and that he can put his pace forward and compete for the Proteas in all formats again.”
South Africa 'A' squad to face Bangladesh 'A'
SA 'A' 4-day squad: Marques Ackerman (capt), Matthew Boast, Okuhle Cele, Gerald Coetzee, Tshepang Dithole, Zubayr Hamza, Gavin Kaplan, Tshepo Moreki, Senuran Muthusamy, Tshepo Ntuli, Meeka-eel Prince, Delano Potgieter, Sinethemba Qeshile, Lesego Senokwane, and Codi Yusuf
SA 'A' one-say squad: Marques Ackerman (capt), Matthew Boast, Okuhle Cele, Gerald Coetzee, Matthew de Villiers, Zubayr Hamza, Dian Forrester, Delano Potgieter, Imraan Manack, Rivaldo Moonsamy, Mihlali Mpongwana, Sinethemba Qeshile, Andile Simelane, Kyle Simmonds, and Codi Yusuf