Proteas appoint Gwavu as fielding guru

Wandile Gwavu’s appointment as the men’s Proteas fielding coach is the continuation of a rapid journey through the domestic coaching ranks. 

The 36-year-old, who started his coaching career in the Eastern Cape nearly a decade ago, has been one of the shining lights on the local stage in the past few seasons, particularly since coming aboard as Enoch Nkwe’s assistant at the Highveld Lions in 2018. 

Gwavu was roped into the national set up last season to oversee the fielding preparation for the series against the West Indies and the Netherlands, and on Friday was officially appointed to a full-time position with the Proteas, working under Rob Walter and alongside batting coach JP Duminy.

“With the fine margins and the ever-increasing stakes in 50-over and T20 cricket, fielding has become a critical part of any successful team and we strongly believe Wandile’s expertise will help the Proteas maintain their strong tradition of fielding excellence across both formats,” said Director of Cricket, Nkwe.

“He brings a wealth of experience at the highest level in South African cricket with a coaching career that speaks volumes.”

Gwavu was named Domestic Coach of the Year in 2019 after just his first year in charge at the Wanderers, when the Lions won both the Four Day Series and the T20 Challenge. 

He was also part of the coaching staff, under Nkwe, that won the inaugural (and now defunct) Mzansi Super League with the Jozi Stars. Last summer he was part of the coaching staff of the Jozi SuperKings in the SA 20, working under Stephen Fleming, and in the past two seasons he has overseen the Lions’ success in the CSA One-Day Cup. 

His move to the Proteas means the Lions have to look for a new coach again, with their last coaches having both been appointed at CSA — Nkwe, first as Proteas head coach in 2019 and then later, after a stint as Mark Boucher’s assistant, to his current role as Director of Cricket — and now Gwavu. 

The Lions have been reviewing their coaching structure, doing so with the awareness they might lose Gwavu.

The union’s CEO  Jono Leaf-Wright said they had started “scenario planning,” with one option to make an appointment from within the current structure.