Amla captaincy surprised many

THE AMLA ERA: New Proteas Test captain Hashim Amla
will have to create a new environment with a crop of young
cricketers in his disposal.
Picture Source: The Guardian

Many people were surprised, including myself if I may be honest, to have heard the announcement of Hashim Amla being elected as the new Proteas Test captain. In regards to captaincy, It’s one of the better decisions Cricket South Africa (CSA) have gone with since the captaincy appointment of then young 22-year-old Graeme Smith in 2003 just after a dismal ICC Cricket World Cup performance by the African cricketing giants on their home turf.

I for one would back Amla over AB de Villiers for the Test captaincy any day. Not because I don’t have confidence in de Villiers as a leader, but simply because the gigantic leadership shoes of Smith that one has to fill require a level-headed and open-minded leader. And just like Smith, a natural-instinctive leader for those moments when a captain’s instincts could become pivotal win or lose moment of a Test match. Although it may not be the same format, de Villiers lacks this natural-instinctiveness when captaining the South African ODI side. He tends to rely heavily on senior players when the pressure starts mounting. Test captaincy pressure is much more than in ODI cricket. He may be able to survive those pressure moments in ODI cricket, but in Test cricket, decisions which a captain either should’ve or shouldn’t have made become extremely vivid. Secondly, it seems as if de Villiers is not backing down on being the Test wicket-keeper. Now that’s a lot for any individual. Captaincy, wicket-keeping and batting to consistently maintain his batting Test average at the par which it’s currently on is difficult for any Test cricketer. Now only would that affect the individual and his career, but the entire team and the moral of the team.

 A COMBINATION OF BRILLIANCE: The Test cricketing minds and
talents of Jacques Kallis and Graeme Smith might take another decade
to find and nurture.
Picture Source: Cricketblog

The biggest challenge for Amla in his new role as captaincy will be creating a new atmosphere in the changing room –the Amla Era if one were to put a label on it. In this new era of South African Test cricket under Amla's leadership, the restructuring of the batting order –specifically the middle order will have to be one of his first agendas. The South African Test team were ranked the best Test team in the world last season mainly because of the consistency of its top six batsmen. The retirement of Smith (who averaged 48.25 in 117 Test matches) –and arguable the greatest cricketing all-rounder to have ever lived –Jacques Kallis (who averaged 55.37 in 166 Test matches and took 292 wickets at an economy rate of 2.82) leaves the Proteas exposed and tremendously inexperienced. South Africa is going to need their new captain now more than ever. Not only for his consistent production of runs as he has done for three consecutive seasons and counting; but to also nature the new talent which has been included in the mix of the Amla Era.

The inclusion of consistence performances in domestic cricket level in Nashua Cape Cobras all-rounder Stiaan van Zyl and Bizhub Highveld Lions spinner Dane Piedt; as well as the re-selection of his franchise teammate, wicket-keeper batsman Quinton de Kock, after his disappointing debut against Australia in Port Elizabeth, suggests that coach and convener of selectors Russell Domingo and Andrew Hudson respectively, are mindful of the fact that new young talents have to be introduced to the frame for the future of South Africa Test cricket. De Villiers’ role as a vice-captain will be more influential this time around than when he was Smith’s deputy. This time around, he is going to be the reliable senior player in the team that’s in ear-shot of Amla; constantly giving him suggestions –assuming as well that Amla will take upon the first or second slip position left by Smith and Kallis respectively.    

These three youthful cricketers, together with JP Duminy who seems to have begun finding his feet in Test cricket, Dean Elgar who is a leading candidate in replacing Smith up the order, and Faf du Plessis who was quick in finding his feet in Test cricket in the deep end of the pool against Australia; will be very instrumental in helping their new captain also find his feet in his new leadership role.

The Proteas begin their new Test cricketing season under a new captain and without two retired South African cricketing Test legends against Sri Lanka on July 16 2014 at the Galle International Stadium.

South African Test Squad to tour Sri Lanka:

Alviro Petersen, Dean Elgar, Hashim Amla (capt), Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers (wk), JP Duminy, Stiaan van Zyl, Wayne Parnell, Vernon Philander, Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn, Imran Tahir, Kyle Abbott, Quinton de Kock, Dane Piedt

-Mandilulame Manjezi
www.jizzyjakes.blogspot.com
@JizzyjakesTheIn    

Why Black Cricket Is Dying

For months now I’ve not been writing about cricket or anything which affiliates itself with it. I was sick and tired. Angry at seeing the entire South African cricketing forum bring down and discriminate black cricketers regarding their talents and skills; yet act all clueless in front of the media when asked why they cannot field a single black cricketer in the Proteas Test starting 11.

But on Wednesday, after watching Chevrolet Warriors seam bowler Lundi Mbane’s performance against the Chevrolet Knights at the Buffalo Park Stadium in East London, his performance made me break out from my defiant ways and write what was on my mind. Mbane was called up to bowl his first spell of the 20-over match by Warriors captain Andrew Birch in the 15^th over of the game. He ended with match-figures of 1/11 in 3 overs. Why had he not bowled earlier on in the game?

The only justified answer to this question would be that it was part of the plan for him to bowl in the back-end of the game as his style of bowling becomes very effective in the back-end of the innings with his gentle pace, toe-crushing yorkers and slower balls. But if this is how they are going to use him, how strong are his chances to make the Proteas T20 squad if he is not recognized as a leading bowler for the Warriors?

But in honesty these are the little things which kill a black cricketer’s career. If he is a bowler, where is he bowling in the innings? If he is a batsman, what number is he batting for the team he is representing? What are the reasons for them to be bowling and batting in that position? And finally are the reasons justifiable? In regards to a batsman, it’s really no point if he is batting at nine. He simply has no value and no role as a batsman at nine. The same thing goes with Mbane’s situation against the Knights.

For example, this is what they did to Bizhub Highveld Lions wicket-keeper batsman Thami Tsolekile in 2004 when he represented South Africa in just three Test matches. Judging Tsolekile by his performance in the national team from a decade ago; having played only three Tests is unfair. The man has proven himself to be worthy of a selection for the Test squad over the past few seasons, yet all his form and stat records seems to be falling into the selector’s outbox file.

The big question being asked by patriotic black South African cricket supporters is how players like Thandi Tshabalala, Loots Bosman, Ethy Mbhalati etc. suddenly fell off the selection radar? Did they perform that drastically for them to have been lost and forgotten from the South African cricketing system? Then we get angry and become bitter when young black players like Siphe Mzaidume go play cricket abroad, qualify for selection in their foreign country simply because they were not victims of the career-butchering of black cricketers supported by the entire South African cricketing forum along with the various national selectors.   

-Mandilulame Manjezi
@JizzyjakesTheIn

Tumi Maseka -Sign, Sealed & Deal-ivered as a Knight

It’s the lunch break on the second day of the Chevrolet Two-Day Friendly match between the Chevrolet Warriors and Chevrolet Knights. Seated in the Khaya Majola Hall are two men in laughter. Both men are soon joined at the table by Ayabulela Gqamane, who recently got crowned as Cricket South Africa’s Best Domestic Newcomer of the Year 2012/13.

Less than six months ago, both these two men joined in laughter were part of the same team. The one man was a semi-professional contracted Northerns amateur cricketer, trying to find his feet in the professional cricket franchise scene; while the other was the cricketer’s former assistant coach and mentor since their introduction to each other in 2007. “That man has understood me both as a person and a cricketer. My bowling action and my achievements are a product of him and Chris’ [van Noordwyk] work,” says the young Tumi Masekela, while pointing at the Warriors Assistant coach Malibongwe Maketa.   

Tumi Masekela in action for the South
African National Academy.
Picture: Gallo Images

After years of hard work, sacrifice and consistent performances for the Northerns Cricket Amateur side, Masekela, now 26 years-old and hungry for success as ever, finds himself being rewarded a one-year contract to play for the Chevrolet Knights. Just the thought of the opportunity creates a euphoric, almost dream-like, expression on his face. “I’m a big believer in whatever happens, does so for a reason. I’ve just joined the squad not too long ago and I’m already feeling like I’m in a good space –a space in which I feel wanted and appreciated,” says Masekela.

But it’s that type of “good space” he wishes he had when representing both the Northerns amateurs and the Nashua Titans. Tumi represented Northerns for five seasons; and in that period, was never granted a franchise contract with the Titans despite his consistent performances for Northerns over the years. “One of the main reasons why I was never given a contract was the issue regarding my pace. They [Titans coaches and selectors] always kept telling me I wasn’t quick enough for franchise cricket. This was always their belief –that pace should be one of the main attributes of a seam bowler,” shared Tumi in sorrow. However, his track record speaks for itself. In 68 First-Class matches since his debut for the Limpopo Province on October 5, 2006; Tumi has taken 179 wickets with an economy rate of just over 3 and an average of 23.73 –statistic showing he over-qualifies for just being a regular amateur cricketer.

Despite discussing testing times in his career with me, Tumi immediately becomes animated once again when the “big-five” are mentioned in conversation. The “big-five” consisted of cricketers from the Northerns and Easterns Cricket Union such as Tumelo Bodibe, Sammy Mofokeng, Mangaliso Mosehle, Rowan Richards and Lesiba Ngoepe who has recently joined the pack.

BROTHERS FOR LIFE: Tumi Masekela and
Mangaliso Mosehle at Nashua Titans training. 

“Those two years went by really quickly. I must admit, living with Bo’ [Tumelo Bodibe] enhanced my batting skills and kept me believing that I was still a worthy candidate with the bat. I was initially an all-rounder when I began my first-class career, but as soon as I moved to Pretoria, all that seemed to change as they slowly changed me into just being a bowler,” elaborates Tumi.

The players all shared two apartments together; with Masekela, Bodibe and Mofokeng in one apartment, and the Titans trio of Mosehle, Lesiba and Richards in the other apartment. “Usually one tends to miss home when you away from it for a long period of time, but the feeling of being home-sick never got to me whilst living with those crazy guys,” Tumi continues to elaborate while breaking out in laughter.

NEW BEGINNINGS: Masekela in his Chevrolet Knights
gear. Picture: Jizzyjakes Photography 

Masekela quite saddened to have left his friends, his teammates and his dreams in which he once had in representing the Titans; now has to focus on settling in at his home town of Bloemfontein. This is the place where he’s been given the opportunity to achieve what could’ve possibly been the unachievable to some of his past coaches. “I need to quickly find my feet in franchise cricket. Now that I’m here, the next short-term objective shall be trying to get myself in that South Africa A team,” says Masekela.         

Although he’s not featuring in the two-day game being played at the moment, his enthusiasm remains high. The following day might mark his debut match for the Knights as they play a friendly one day match against the same Chevrolet Warriors outfit in preparation for the upcoming season. “I’ve been in the nets the entire morning working on my one day skills. Tomorrow shall be the day I finally run in for the Knights!”      

-Mandilulame Manjezi
www.jizzyjakes.blogspot.com
@JizzyjakesTheIn

SA A Individual Performances -A Positive Outlook

The Australia A and India A cricket squads recently graced South African shores to play against a youthful yet formidable South Africa A side; in unofficial Test and One Day International matches. The home side began proceedings in a two-match Test series against Australia A, changed cricket outfits when the three nations (SA A, Australia A and India A) fought it out in a Triangular One Day series; then finally with the hosts ending the cricketing festivity in a two-match series against India A.

These matches were essential for Proteas coach Russell Domingo in going upon his decision about possible batting combinations in the middle order for the Test side; as well as searching for much needed bowling arsenal for a very long 2013/14 cricket schedule which begins in October.

Beuran Hendricks hungry for more
five-wicket hauls under his name.
Picture: BIG PIC Photography

Cape Cobras seamer Beuran Hendricks was undoubtedly the highlight of both Australia A and India A Test series. The paceman has had a nag for picking up five-wicket hauls in the domestic front. This time around claiming 5/52 against Australia A in Rustenburg; then 5/36 and 6/27 (11/63 in the match) against India A in Pretoria for the SA A outfit; single handily crushing the sub-continental visitors in the unofficial 2^nd Test.

On the batting side of things, Dean Elgar’s performance with the bat possibly assured Domingo of his spot in the starting 11 of the Test squad –with JP Duminy returning from a long injury and Francois du Plessis recently being the anchor of the Proteas batting order in Test cricket. Elgar scored 446 runs in the four unofficial Test matches he played representing SA A, averaging 63.71.

Vs. Australia A

David Warner had no intentions to stay
for long in SA with his 193 off 226.
Picture: BIG PIC Photography

David Warner began the tour to South Africa with an aggressive 193 runs off 226 in the first unofficial Test match of two against the host nation. The century for Warner was a much needed performance as his competition in the Australian national team, Ed Cowan, had been going through a rough patch; not being able to produce the goods with the bat for Australia in the historical Ashes Series which were held in England this year.

Chevrolet Knights opening batsman Dean Elgar showed selectors why he’s the favourite option at being Greame Smith successor in Test cricket for the opening batsman role; with brilliant performances throughout the series. His elegant 268 runs when the South Africans had to surpass India A’s lead of 474 in the beginning of their innings signified true test of character. 

Vs. India A

We witnessed the return of JP Duminy in first-class cricket from his Achilles Tendor injury, which occurred in December in Australia, after the end of the first day of the 1st Test match against the Australians at the Adelaide Cricket Ground during a warm-down session. Duminy scored a steady 84 runs off 222 balls; 16 runs short of a much needed century which could’ve taken South Africa A through the victory line.             

Dean Elgar had a sterling series against Aus A and India A
Picture: BIG PIC Photography

India A brought along with them on tour their experienced batsmen; such as Cheteshwar Pujara, Murali Vijay, Ajinkya Rahane, Dinesh Karthik and Rohit Sharma. This was an obvious move from the Indian national coach, Duncan Fletcher, for his batsmen to familiarize themselves with South African conditions prior to their much important tour to South Africa during the summer.

Fletcher pulled the rabbit out of the hat in the Triangular One Day series when Suresh Raina and Shakhar Dhawan joined the other big names in the Indian A squad. Dhawan continued his onslaught on a South African bowling attack, a feat he last accomplished in the opening match of the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy against South Africa. The opening batsman scored a destructive 248 runs off 150 balls in the 2^nd One Day match against SA; which included seven sixes and 30 boundaries. South Africa A ended the Triangular One Day Series in last place with India A winning the series and Australia A finishing as runners-up.

Black Transformation issues I spotted during South Africa A’s matches

The discussions on black cricketers not featuring in the Proteas Test starting line-up has been hot off people’s tongues since the Thami Tsolekile vs. AB de Villiers saga in the beginning of the year. But in truth, no black batsman but Tsolekile deserves to be in the starting 11 at the moment.

Thami Tsolekile loving batting conditions at the University of Pretoria.
Picture: BIG PIC Photography

Having mentioned that, the re-inclusion of Thami Tsolekile in the SA Test squad to tour UAE to play two Tests against Pakistan is a huge achievement for the Highveld Lions wicket-keeper batsman. After being ruthlessly criticised by the press of not fitting the criteria of being in the Proteas Test side; Tsolekile has gone back into the domestic front and has consistently scored hundreds and handy half-centuries for the Lions and SA A. If he features in the starting 11, he shall be very instrumental in building big partnerships along the other top-order batsmen.

His 267 run-partnership with Dean Elgar (Tsolekile and Elgar scored 268 and 159 runs respectively in the innings) indicates that his batting abilities might be useful against a demolishing Pakistan bowling attack on Abu Dhabi and Dubai wickets. Tsolekile has an outstanding track record of anchoring big partnerships. He was also instrumental in Lions batsman Stephen Cook’s triple century against the Chevrolet Warriors in 2009 at the Buffalo Park Stadium. Although the match ended in a draw, the pair scored a sixth-wicket partnership of 365 runs with Tsolekile unbeaten on 151 runs.      

Temba Bavuma muscles the ball off the back foot.
Picture: BIG PIC Photography

Highveld Lions’ talent Temba Bavuma is certainly a black batsman we could possibly see wearing the Proteas’ green cap soon. But that won’t become a reality until he starts converting his excellent starts and half-centuries into match-winning centuries. With the current Proteas batting line-up, all seven batsmen are capable of scoring big centuries once they get the type of starts Bavuma consistently obtains when representing both the Lions and SA A teams.

Black batsmen who have the opportunity to bat in the top six at their various franchises have to change their mentality and seek to score match-winning hundreds than explosive entertaining half-centuries. This does not only apply to Bavuma, but also to other black batsmen playing franchise cricket such as Unlimited Titans’ wicket-keeper batsman Mangaliso Mosehle and Sunfoil Dolphin’s top-order batsman Khayelihle Zondo. The two (Mosehle and Zondo) seem to favour limited overs cricket because of their aggressive abilities with the bat, but just like Australia’s David Warner and Adam Gilchrist, the pair should be mentally flexible when building up their innings in all three different formats.

Mangaliso Mosehle accepts applause after his maiden century against
the Dolphins. Picture: www.thenewage.co.za

The fact that Chevrolet Warriors’ Ayabulela Gqamane is an all-rounder is falling onto deaf ears. The “black cricketers are bowlers” tag has been placed on the young talent despite relentlessly proving his worth as well with his Gunn & Moore bat. Judging by his domestic cricket stats, I’m puzzled why Gqamane was picked for the SA A one day side but not the SA A Test squad. After all, he performed outstandingly well in the four-day Sunfoil Series last season than in limited overs cricket. Not only that, but his stats suggest that he’s an expensive bowler in limited overs cricket –thus quite useful with the bat; averaging 31.88 with a strike rate of 113.

So if Gqamane was initially picked for his batting preferences in the SA A one day side, why was he then batting at number 10? This was the same incident with Tsolekile in his second Test match for the Proteas back in 2004 against India when made to bat at 10 selected as a wicket-keeper batsman. If we are to develop black batsmen in this country, national selectors and coaches have to trust in our black talents to perform with the bat.

-Mandilulame Manjezi
www.jizzyjakes.blogspot.com
@JizzyjakesTheIn

Patience Is a Virtue

LAUGH OUT LOUD: Russell Domingo finds humor in a question asked
by journalists during a press conference  

My former Pretoria High School Old Boys academy coach and now Northerns Amateur senior coach, Mark Charlton, always used to preach the inspirational quote on a daily basis before we would start with training. “It’s not how you begin, but how you end.”

You might start off well, but your truest test of character is proven in the long run by emerging through the ups and downs. In other words, not everybody will begin their career on a high note, but if you don’t, never let it get you down or create doubt about your own capabilities. 

New Proteas coach Russell Domingo has to believe in those exact words more than ever after leading the troops in green and gold through a disappointing tour of Sri Lanka. Despite the Proteas winning the T20 International three-match series against the top ranked in the shortened format, the wounds incurred from the beating the Proteas had at the hands of the Sri Lankans in the ODI Series, will undoubtedly play on the minds of both Domingo and the players for some time to come.

It’s no secret that the standards between franchise and international cricket differ quite a lot. Domingo would have noticed that while serving as the assistant coach to Gary Kirsten during his reign as Proteas head coach. However Domingo’s situation is different now that he’s the man in charge. He’s decisions about the roles of certain players will be critical, in particularly senior players and leaders in the squad. His approach towards every series has to be different to that of Kirsten’s. Domingo must impose his own brand and stamp his authority early on. He can’t afford to settle for the stigma of “taking over Kirsten’s big shoes” and “Kirsten would have done it like this” taunts in the media.

With the coaching staff he has selected to accompany him, the aim is to build a more formidable Proteas team. Domingo has not stayed from the successful combination of himself with assistant coach Adrian Birrell. Birrell was Domingo’s right hand man when he took the Chevrolet Warriors to championship glory in 2009 in the 40-over and T20-over competition. Victory in the T20 competition secured the team coveted place in the 2010 T20 Champions League where they finished as runners-up.

The selecting of Claude Henderson as spin coach was a good out-of-the-box idea. Henderson’s healthy career record of 273 First-Class matches (both in South Africa’s SuperSport Series and England’s County Championship) will bring an array of highly valuable experience to the maturing spinners such as Aaron Phangiso and offer a learning experience for trusted hands such as Robin Peterson.

HOOORAY: An ecstatic Imran Tahir celebrates a wicket in the ICC 2011 Cricket World Cup

I was a little disappointed in the lack of faith Domingo had shown in Imran Tahir on sub-continental wickets where the Sri Lankan spinners continually bullied the Proteas’ batting order. Despite both spin bowling conditions in India and Sri Lanka being very similar, Tahir’s impressive bowling performances in India at the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup seemed to have been quickly forgotten. This is one of the Proteas downfalls in limited-overs cricket. Under Kirsten, players such as Imran Tahir and Henry Davids were subjected to only playing ODI or T20 internationals; instead of featuring in both formats of limited-overs game. Domingo will have to change this mentality if he wants limited-overs success in the near future. But having said that, he too shouldn’t try out what he feels is his perfect combination. Rather make the little mistakes early on than later on into his reign as the Proteas coach.

-Mandilulame Manjezi

www.jizzyjakes.blogspot.com
@JizzyjakesTheIn  

Aya Gqamane -Long Awaited Talent

It only takes two scrambled eggs and a few slices of toasted brown bread to get Chevrolet Warriors’ all-rounder, Ayabulela Gqamane, out of bed. I had the privilege of spending a morning session in the gym with the talented cricketer, who at the time was preparing for the upcoming domestic cricket season which gets underway after the winter period.

Born in the grassland area of Mdingi, a rural village on the outskirts of King William’s Town in the Eastern Cape, Gqamane relentlessly states that his recent success with the Warriors has been a dream he long had since cricket was introduced to him by his brothers at the tender age of five.

Weighting only 65kg, Aya relentlessly keeps other Virgin Active gym members in Greenacres, which is situated near the central region of Port Elizabeth, astonished when they notice him squat a warping 150kg on the squat machine press. "It's all in the mind. People just don't seem to understand that you have to rise up to the challenge with positive mind and in doing so –finding joy in what could be potentially hurting" says Gqamane.

But there's more than meets the eye about the calm, friendly and non-vocal cricketer. He’s upbringing says a whole lot about his humbleness towards people in his community. Whether if it’s at his hometown in Mdingi, or in East London and Port Elizabeth. The two cities you would often find Gqamane steaming in from his bowling mark in black and green Chevrolet Warriors colours with number 14 placed boldly on his back.  

There's not a doubt that Gqamane arguably lives for the gentlemen’s game. It was the Border Cricket Union and its development academy which scouted his passion in Mdingi; granting him a scholarship to enroll at Dale College Primary School in King William's Town, one of Eastern Cape's top sporting schools producing a number of Proteas and Springbok capped players.

But after some years spend in Dale Primary, Gqamane felt a change of scenery was needed. So in 2005, he enrolled into the prestigious Hudson Park High School where he matriculated in 2008. It was in 2008 in which he, along with his Border U19 cricket team, achieved major success finishing first place in the inaugural CSA U19 Khaya Majola Coca-Cola Cricket Week. Soon after his U19 cricket week success, Gqamane was granted a first-class debut two years later for Border against the bowling-dominant North West outfit in 2010.

Aya Gqamane warming up for a routine gym session

However, in the space of the two years after his matriculation [2008-2010], Gqamane had to find himself as a person by going through many soul-searching moments in his youthful life. One of those moments was when he went abroad to England for a minor cricketing winter stint; playing Minor County Cricket for Coventry and North Warwickshire.  "I stopped playing for a year after my matric year to focus on my social hockey. I was not really sure were my cricket was going at the time, despite me being in Border Cricket’s plans. It was only when I dearly started missing cricket that I took it upon me to go to England and play some club cricket there during the South African winter period," confesses Gqamane.

After a decent club cricket season in England, Aya then returned back to South Africa where he surprisingly found himself being selected for the Border Amateur provincial team to tour Potchefstroom in the North West. “I was surprised about the call up. I didn’t expect it whatsoever. But I rate because of the decent season I had in England and them [Border] needing an all-rounder in the team, they opt in selecting me,” Says Gqamane.

The tour to Potchefstroom for Gqamane would be the beginning of his stardom rise to the top. After a sterling debut season for the Border outfit, Gqamane at 21-years-old secured himself a Warriors franchise contract; after being the third highest wicket-takers in the CSA 3-Day Challenge Amateur competition. His rapid success did not end there. After a year of waiting on the side-lines, Gqamane was eventually rewarded with his professional franchise debut for the Warriors against the Highveld Lions in Johannesburg in the domestic Sunfoil Series. 4/46 and 7/24 was elegantly place next to Gqamane on the scoreboard. In the next Sunfoil Series fixture against the Nashua Titans, Gqamane again pulled another trick up his sleeves by scoring a remarkable 86 runs off 89 balls batting as a tail-ender at no.10. These and many other consistent performances forced selectors to keep an eye on his talent; selecting him for the SA Invitational Squad to play against Pakistan in early January this year and the SA Emerging Squad which played in a triangular series against Namibia and the Netherlands in Windhoek.

Aya Gqamane in his bowling stride (Picture: Daily Dispatch)

“I was disappointed not to have played against Pakistan in East London, but I was pleased to be selected for the SA Invitational Squad. I was most satisfied by that as I never in a million dreams expected to be selected for such a squad in my first season of professional cricket. Regarding the tour with the SA Emerging Squad, I got as much as I could from the entire experience. Building friendships as well with guys like Mangi [Mosehle] and Khaya [Zondo],” says Gqamane with a grin on his face. After his debut professional season for the Warriors, it’s a guarantee that if Gqamane keeps up the hard work in the gym –he shall soon find himself wearing the Proteas green and gold.     

-Mandilulame Manjezi

www.jizzyjakes.blogspot.com

@JizzyjakesTheIn  

Why is de Kock Still on the Sidelines of ODI Cricket

APPLAUSE ALL AROUND: Jacques Rudolph
celebrates an elegant ton 

Although I was fairly young, I recall a youthful Jacques Rudolph on TV, making his Test debut against Bangladesh, Chittagong. In that same match, the 22-year-old left handed batsman scored an individual high score of 222* along with his long time and most trusted friend Boeta Dippenaar; who also scored an unbeaten 177 runs in the match.

A few years after his Test match debut, I once again caught a glimpse of Rudolph's elegant innings against England in the first Test of their tour series against the Proteas. Although the Proteas lost the Test match, it was again both Rudolph and Dippenaar who steered the South Africans to a match-fighting first innings score of 337 runs. Dippenaar this time top scoring with a superb 110 while Rudolph falling short of a century with his 93 runs off 192 balls. Apart from these scenarios, these men timelessly showed their determination to fight through rough spells in certain Test match situations. Without a doubt, both Rudolph and Dippenaar were extremely talented batsmen. On countless occasions these men dominated the domestic cricket scene at a very young age. They had to be South African cricketing legends in years to come.  

ALMOST GOT IT: A catch dropped by Rudolph Jacques
in the slips

However this was not the case. Both Rudolph and Dippenaar’s talents weren’t handled with tender loving care by Cricket South Africa. Rudolph, eventually been dropped after the two scenarios mentioned above, was fortunate to be granted a second chance into Test cricket in November 2011 after a sterling 2011/12 season with the Nashua Titans. Unfortunately Rudolph did not grab his long-waited second chance; failing to secure his spot in the Proteas Test line up after 13 Test matches into his career-resurrection. But he wasn’t to be blamed. He had been through torture with CSA not backing his talent and potential over the years he’s been in the system since U19 cricket level. Without a doubt, he was over the whole international cricket scene. He, Rudolph, ended up being wasted talent. 

BANG: Quinton de Kock on the pull during a
T20 International against New Zealand 

The way I see things, and with the way things are currently going thus far, this is unfortunately how CSA are currently treating 20-year-old wicket-keeper batsman Quinton de Kock. He’s exclusion in the Proteas squad to the Champions League vividly shows how much lack of faith they have in the Highveld Lions young stalwart. It’s a fact that de Kock had no success whatsoever in his Indian Premier League journey, only top scoring with a lousy four runs, but his “just see ball hit ball” mentality might have been the one thing we need in our quest to obtain Champions Trophy silverware. After all, de Kock was the highest run scorer in the recent Ram Slam T20 Tournament, scoring 524 runs in 11 matches, which also included an opening ceremonial -century 126* in the first game of the tournament. To even suggests that the former SA U19s captain is a match winner. It was de Kock who was instrumental for the Lions claiming the Ram Slam T20 Trophy; scoring a much needed 44 runs off 31 balls in the final against the Nashua Titans.

As far as I’m concerned, when young talented AB de Villiers was noted, CSA did all they could to get him playing consistently in international level. What differentiates de Kock’s talents from de Villiers back in 2004? Whether we try to blind fold the situation or not, we all know what de Kock is capable of. The boy is ready for the international scene. CSA should use him while they still can.

Picture source: www.espncricinfo.com

-Mandilulame Manjezi
www.jizzyjakes.blogspot.com
@JizzyjakesTheIn