Altus Momberg

Cape Town – Richard Pybus is set to coach the Cape Cobras in the upcoming cricket season.

The former Pakistan and Titans coach is set to be unveiled as Shukri Conrad’s successor over the next few days.

Pybus, who celebrated his 46th birthday on Monday, and Proteas assistant coach Vincent Barnes, were the final two candidates.

Barnes, who landed in Cape Town on Saturday following the Proteas’ tour of the West Indies, was considered the favourite before the process started.

He has an impressive legacy as player and coach in Cape cricket, but was apparently informed at the weekend that Pybus had been offered the job.

Pybus coached the Titans to the T20-trophy in the 2007/08 season and has been working as a consultant at the Dolphins for the past year.

His paths split with the Titans at the end of the 2008/09 season. He previously also coached Border and English county side Middlesex as well as Pakistan.

Pybus’s record in Twenty20 cricket is probably the major reason for him being the preferred candidate.

With money playing an increasing role in modern sport, the millions of rands that a team can earn in the Indian Champions League is probably the most important target for any regional side in South African cricket.

A team has to reach the final of the Pro-20 series to qualify for the Champions League.

The Cape regional side reached the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2009 and it certainly helped with the regional side’s finances.

Last season, however, the Cape side lost against the Warriors in the semi-finals of the Pro20 series.

Conrad was sacked at the end of last season and it’s probably the team’s inability to qualify for the Champions League that led to his demise.

Conrad’s Cobras comfortably won the four-day SuperSport Series last season.

In the past it would have been more than enough to keep a coach in his job, but in today’s world where Twenty20 cricket rules the roost, it could not rescue Conrad.