Shane Burger says he has memories that will stay with him forever as he moves on from his role as Head Coach of Scotland’s Men, having seen them crowned Cricket World Cup League Two champions.
The 40-year-old South African has been in post for four years and had to deal with many ups and downs during that time, including the Covid-19 pandemic.
He maintained focus throughout and led the team to two T20 World Cups and 24 wins from 36 One Day Internationals in the CWCL2 cycle, culminating in him and skipper Richie Berrington getting their hands on silverware on Tuesday in Nepal.
Later this week he will return to Scotland to say his goodbyes before heading south to become Assistant Coach and Lead Batting Coach at Somerset.
The squad he leaves will now prepare for the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier which begins in June in Zimbabwe.
“I look back on my time in charge with great pride and many, many fond memories,” Burger said.
“Over the last four years we have achieved all of our goals and all the objectives that we set ourselves.
“Everything that has been asked of us we have done and while we have lost some games that we perhaps should have won that is all part of the learning curve for the players and myself.
“I will look back on my time in Scotland fondly and the memories and moments that we shared as a group will stay with me forever.
“I have made lifelong friendships and relationships with all of the players who have been in the squad and those who are in the squad now.
“Hopefully, when I reflect back on everything in the coming days, the last four years will have helped me become a better coach and I am now preparing for my next challenge.
“It is important for me to keep moving on as a coach, but I hope my legacy with Scotland will be that I gave a talented group of players the chance to believe in themselves, flourish and become a stronger unit.
“They are in a good place to be able to go to the qualifiers starting in June and perform and I look forward to seeing how they get on. To the players and support staff who have worked with me I say ‘thank you’.
“I’d also like to thank everyone at Cricket Scotland and everyone involved in Scottish cricket for making me feel so welcome.
“It has been a privilege to be Head Coach of the national team.”
Reflecting on the final game of his reign in which Nepal got over the line in front of a huge crowd in Kirtipur as 212 played 213-8, Burger said: “We were really disappointed to not get over the line in the last game on Tuesday after the guys put in such a great effort trying to defend 212.
It was more of a challenging wicket perhaps than the others earlier in the tour, but we really needed an ‘in’ batter to go on and help us up and over the 250 mark.
“In the second half, I thought the bowlers stuck to game plans early on in the Nepal innings and the fielding was good, but then their captain Rohit Paudel [95 not out] played a brilliant knock to see them home.
“It was wonderful for us to play in front of such a large, passionate crowd and they were like Nepal’s twelfth man in the end helping them over the line.
“What a setting for a game of cricket and what a place for me to bow out.”
