After Warriors' T20 triumph, should Peterson join Proteas coaching team?

COMMENT

Robin Peterson is certainly putting his hand up to be in line for a role with the Proteas T20 coaching staff sooner rather than later.

The former Proteas all-rounder is building up an impressive short-format CV after guiding the Warriors’ successful CSA T20 Challenge campaign.

After playing the most enterprising brand of T20 cricket in the country for the longest time without reaping the rewards in terms of silverware, the Eastern Cape side finally managed to sneak over the line in a Super Over in a thrilling final against Boland Rocks in Paarl on Sunday. 

It adds to the growing list of Peterson’s honours, having already masterminded MI Cape Town’s maiden Betway SA20 triumph last season. He has also led MI New York to the Major League Cricket championship title in the US.

Peterson, 46, has long been at the cutting edge of the development of T20 cricket. Having played in all the major T20 Leagues around the world, namely IPL, CPL and England’s T20 Blast, Peterson has a vast international network to lean on for support.

Equally, he has obtained a Masters in Sports Directorship from Manchester Metropolitan University since his retirement in 2016.

This has led to him developing unique ways to motivate his players, often referring to 1980s movie classics like Rocky to provide them a reference point in bouncebackability and never giving up. 

Across MI Cape Town and the Warriors, Peterson has worked closely with the large number of Proteas players in the current T20I squad in India, namely Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, George Linde, Anrich Nortje and Tristan Stubbs.

Peterson also has a strong relationship with current Proteas coach Shukri Conrad. After playing out of his hometown union, Eastern Province and the Warriors, for more than a decade since his school days at Alexander Road High School in Gqeberha, it was Conrad, in his role as head coach at the Cape Cobras, that lured Peterson to the Western Cape to join the Cobras at Newlands. 

The duo also have a similar outlook on the game, which leans towards a positive and attacking mindset, but also giving players the freedom to express themselves and the opportunity to learn from their mistakes.

While too many cooks can spoil the broth, with both individuals also equally headstrong in their convictions, roping in Peterson, who featured for the Proteas in the 2012 T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka, when the T20 World Cup returns to Sri Lanka and India next year could be a masterstroke by the Proteas management staff.