South Africa pacer Lungi Ngidi hails bowling coach Charles Langeveldt impact for return to form

Cape Town: South Africa seamer Lungi Ngidi has hailed the impact of bowling coach Charl Langeveldt following a stunning return to form in limited overs series against England and Australia at the end of the 2019-20 season.

Ngidi returned from eight months on the sidelines to take 12 wickets at an average of 16.08 in four One-Day Internationals, and 13 wickets at 18.87 each in six Twenty20 matches as he proved South Africa’s most potent seamer.

File image of Lungi Ngidi (L). AP

That included defending seven runs off the final over to beat England in a 20-over game in London, and career-best figures of 6-58 in the ODI series against Australia as South Africa completed a 3-0 sweep.

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Ngidi credits former international Langeveldt with his return to form, after the latter was appointed to assist head coach Mark Boucher in December.

“He is very supportive, he encourages me to play the way I think, so as a bowler I feel really comfortable with executing my plans,” Ngidi said in audio released by Cricket South Africa on Thursday.

“I never feel as though he will not agree with what I am saying. He has been there before, he has been in situations where you have the ball and you have to deviate from the game-plan.

“He has got a lot of knowledge, and was a very skillful bowler. It has helped my cricket a lot.”

Despite his success, Ngidi feels he still has a lot more work to do to hit his best form.

“I would rate it (the season) at about a six (out of 10). It was good, but to me it was still not good enough. There were a few games I could have gone for less runs,” he said.

“I did pick up a few wickets, but it is not the finished product. I still feel I can deliver a whole lot more and be a whole lot better.”

Ngidi was one of four players ordered to attend a special CSA conditioning camp in January.

South Africa are due to tour Sri Lanka for a limited overs series in June, though that is looking increasingly unlikely due to the coronavirus pandemic.