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Saturday, June 7, 2025
Sport Cricket

It was a good day at the office, says batting coach Ashwell Prince

World Test Championship

Ongama Gcwabe|Published

Proteas batting coach Ashwell Prince was pleased with the team's performance on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Image: AFP

PROTEAS batting coach Aswell Prince believes that the batting unit got what they planned to get out of Day Two in Arundel on Wednesday, having declared on 312/2.

Ryan Rickelton (62), Temba Bavuma (58) and Tristan Stubbs (58) top-scored and finished unbeaten, though they had to retire not out in order to give all the batters on tour time in the middle.

"I think so (it was a good day at the office)," Prince said on Wednesday.

"It was a nice opportunity for all the batters to get out there. I'm sure some of them would have liked to stay out there a little bit longer."

Bavuma and Rickelton were much more fluent as they blasted 11 boundaries each while Stubbs' half-century required the youngster to graft hard as he registered only four fours and one six, having faced 20 overs on Day Two.

Despite the difference in the nature of the knocks, Prince told the media that they don't have concerns ahead of next week's World Test Champions final against Australia at Lord's.

"No, no concerns at all," said Prince.

"I think most of the guys got a nice stint out there in the middle. Some were a little bit more fluent than others, but we have some days left for all the guys to find their rhythm. Batting can be that way sometimes, where not everybody has the same rhythm.

"But there was some nice fluency from some of the guys, and others had to stay in and dig a little bit deeper. But again, the main outcome is that everybody had a chance and could spend some time in the middle."

Play on Day Three is set to resume at 11am.