Domingo to head Bangladesh’s burgeoning boerewors brigade

Bangladesh’s burgeoning boerewors brigade gained another member on Saturday when Port Elizabeth's Russell Domingo was appointed head coach of the improving Asians’ men’s team.

Many will see his success as another nail hammered into the coffin of an ailing game in South Africa.

Domingo, a former South Africa assistant and head coach who is currently in charge of the A side, will join fellow South Africans Neil McKenzie and Charl Langeveldt — Bangladesh’s batting and bowling coaches — in Dhaka.

All three were in South Africa’s dressingroom during Domingo’s tenure as head coach, which ran from 2013 to 2017.

“We have been very impressed with his passion and coaching philosophy,” Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hassan was quoted as saying in a release.

“He has a clear idea of what is required to take the team forward.”

South Africa and Bangladesh had identical records at this year’s World Cup: three wins from eight completed games.

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But the Bangladeshis’ successes — over South Africa, West Indies and Afghanistan — were signs of the gathering strength of their team, and the good work done by McKenzie and Langeveldt. Both were spurned by South Africa and have since had their Bangladesh contracts extended.

Indeed, the South Africans’ loss to Bangladesh, which followed their defeat by England and preceded being beaten by India, was the most crushing blow of a failed campaign that has prompted a rash of panicky restructuring by Cricket South Africa (CSA).

“I have followed Bangladesh’s progress with keen interest and I am extremely excited to assist the team in reaching the goals that they are capable of,” the release quoted Domingo as saying.

“I look forward to continuing the ongoing development of current players whilst also looking towards the future and developing some new bright stars from within the talent pool of Bangladesh cricket.”

In a Cricket South Africa (CSA) release, acting director of cricket Corrie van Zyl tried to put a positive spin on the news.

“Russell has kept us in the loop throughout this process and, although we are sorry to lose his services. We wish him well and know that he will be yet another one of the coaches who have come successfully through our development system to coach at provincial or franchise level and end up at the very top,” Van Zyl said.

“There are many names of coaches that spring to mind including Duncan Fletcher, Graham Ford, Mickey Arthur and Adrian Birrell.

“Gary Kirsten’s first significant coaching position was as batting consultant to the Warriors when Russell was in charge there and he has gone on to be a World Cup winner.”

Van Zyl neglected to mention that Kirsten didn’t win the World Cup with South Africa — he guided India to triumph in 2011 — and that none of the other coaches he named are still significantly involved in the game in the country.

New Zealander Daniel Vettori is the spin bowling expert in a Bangladesh coaching staff that, for their first trick, will take charge of a one-off Test against Afghanistan in Chattogram that starts on September 5.

Malibongwe Maketa, freshly fired as South Africa’s assistant-coach in the wake the World Cup, is now the A team’s interim coach while Cobras coach Ashwell Prince will take Domingo’s place for a spin camp in Bangalore from August 17 to 23.