Dillon du Preez is South Africa's new assistant coach; signs a three-year contract

Dillon du Preez, the former Free State allrounder, has been appointed the assistant coach of South Africa for a period of three years, Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced on Tuesday (September 8). He will work as an assistant to Hilton Moreeng, who was re-appointed as the head coach for another three years in July.



"I am really honoured. I have been relishing such an opportunity and can’t wait to get going,” du Preez said in a statement. "A lot has been going on behind the scenes for a little while and obviously with the break, I’ve had to wait a little while before formally joining the team, but now it’s finally come and I’m really excited and can’t wait to get going with Hilton and the rest of the girls."



38-year-old du Preez is an experienced player at the domestic level having played 92 First Class matches, 134 List A matches and 86 T20s. He scored 4400 runs and took 589 wickets across formats before retiring from the game in 2017. He has been serving as a coach at the domestic level since his retirement. He also served as an assistant coach for the team Coronation during the inaugural Women’s T20 Super League.



ALSO READ: Charting a ‘different path’ for South Africa – Dinesha Devnarain readies herself for a new challenge



“We would like to welcome Dillon to the Proteas set-up,” Moreeng said. “He is a young coach with vast experience of playing the game and his all-round skill will no doubt benefit the girls.”



Moreeng, who has been coaching the South African side since 2012, believes the appointment of du Preez along with the appointment of Dinesha Devnarain, head-coach of Under-19 and National Academy since April 2020, will help South Africa to take women’s cricket to the next level.



“I am confident that alongside our staff and another recent appointment Dinesha Devnarain our coaching setup can help take the women’s game to a new level,” he added.



South Africa last played international cricket when they made it to the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2020 in March. Their home series against Australia and their tour to West Indies were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They were slated to travel to England for a proposed series in late September, but declined the invitation citing the traveling restrictions in the country.



ALSO READ: The players are frustrated, admits South Africa coach Hilton Moreeng



South Africa players resumed their individual training and was part of two at the National High-Performance centre before the England tour was cancelled. CSA will hold another camp for the players in late September.



Support Staff: Hilton Moreeng (Head Coach), Dillon du Preez (Assistant Coach), Sedibu Mohlaba (Manager), Zane Webster (Strength & Conditioning Coach), Tshegofatso Gaetsewe (Team Doctor), Molebatsi Theletsane (Physiotherapist)