Former South Africa bowler Meyrick Pringle may have only played four Tests and 17 ODIs but has gained enough knowledge to help him in his coaching career after retirement that has seen him work in India and Namibia.
The 48-year-old, part of the Proteas’ 1992 World Cup squad and who famously took 4-11 against the West Indies in that tournament, spoke to Sport360° during his visit to Dubai – where he held coaching clinics for Maxtalent Global Sports – about his international career, Bob Woolmer and memories of being hit in the eye by India pace hero Javagal Srinath.
Tell us why you’re here in the UAE?
The clinics went really well. I worked on their bowling, the technical aspects and advised them on nutrition. Having finished the coaching clinics, I must say there are some promising kids here and there’s just some small technical things they need to work on. They are all very talented and that’s a good sign.
I would love to come back to Dubai and coach them again.
I just feel Maxtalent and the other academies in the UAE need to look at bringing in more former cricketers to help with these kids because from what I’ve seen, they are so determined to learn. If more and more former cricketers come here and work with these kids, it can put the UAE on the [cricketing] map and maybe help them get Test status in the future.
You played for South Africa for a brief time. How do you look back at your career?
I enjoyed myself, although I would’ve liked to have played a lot more international games. And I would’ve loved to play T20 cricket as I felt I would’ve been a good T20 player, but that started after I retired.
I played more than 100 first-class matches in South Africa and it was just the situation of not being selected at the time. Certain coaches agree on you and some don’t. I just wasn’t in Bob Woolmer’s (South Africa coach at the time) case. From an individual point of view, we just didn’t click and so I put the issue behind me and carried on with my first-class career.
You were a member of the South African squad in the 1992 World Cup. What are your memories of that tournament?
It was brilliant. We were an unknown team and nobody knew what to expect from us. To have beaten Australia in our second match of the World Cup by nine wickets was a very positive result on our side.
We lost the next two and it was vital for us to beat the West Indies to still be in contention. And it was a game I remembered well because I got good bowling figures against them, with 4-11 in Christchurch which gave us a chance of making the semi-final which we finally did.
It was sad to be knocked out by England and I felt it was unfair because we conducted ourselves really well and we were the total surprise package for everybody.
And you also had some coaching stints?
I was approached by the Jaipur Cricket Academy in India and I did the coaching director’s role really well then. At first, we started with 20 kids and within six months the number just grew to 70 kids in January 2010. Unfortunately, I had to leave because the owner passed away. I would’ve loved to have carried on and do miss coaching the kids as well.
After that, I was approached by the Rajasthan Cricket Association for their first-class side and was appointed as their bowling coach. In my first year, we won the Ranji trophy in 2012.
It was a good experience coaching in India. When I first got there, the first six months was very difficult, because my family didn’t come with me in the beginning and I didn’t know anybody. I couldn’t really interact with the players because I didn’t want to favour anyone in particular, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself here.
I then returned to South Africa and tried to do some coaching in South Africa to put into practice what I had learned but that was quite difficult. And so I looked at coaching abroad and have also worked with the Namibian national team.
Can you recall the time when you got hit in the eye by a delivery from Javagal Srinath in the 1993 Test series?
I had just struck a four off Srinath and the next delivery I totally missed the ball. People were saying it was too fast for me, but I missed it despite keeping my eye on the ball.
I had 15 stitches below my eye and I broke my nose and cheekbone. My pupil shrunk and some of the eye layers came apart, and so I had to go for laser treatment. I can now see 65 or 70 per cent through my eye.
Javagal came to the hospital afterwards to apologise and see how I was, which was nice especially as some of the Indian players visited me as well. I recovered within two weeks and played the ODI series against India.
You worked under Bob Woolmer. What memories do you have of him as coach?
He was a magnificent coach. I read his books and saw his coaching videos.
He was coaching Pakistan at the 2007 World Cup and to hear the news he died was a massive shock.
To have listened to his advice was great but we just couldn’t click and he didn’t see eye-to-eye with me. What I saw of him with kids was absolutely magnificent and you speak to anyone around the world, and they will tell you the same thing.
Who was the hardest batsman to play against?
There’s not one particular batsman I can pick out because I only played a few matches for South Africa. I felt West Indies duo Desmond Haynes and Brian Lara were always dangerous. You always give an extra 10 per cent when you come up against your friends, and Lara was certainly one.
Sachin Tendulkar was a very hard player to get out but I got him out in an ODI in Durban; England’s Mike Atherton was also a very tough player to dismiss.
When you’re not playing cricket, what other sports do you enjoy?
I love rugby union but not Australian rugby. I’m a big F1 supporter and a Ferrari fan so I always like to follow Fernando Alonso.
I love football and watched my team Liverpool play at Anfield many years ago. They are a good side. I’m not too sad about Luis Suarez leaving because we have Mario Balotelli and hopefully he can score the goals.
