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Ken Borland



Klaasen now complete T20 batsman in 3rd World Cup, despite only 4 previous matches 0

Posted on December 02, 2024 by Ken

Heinrich Klaasen will be playing in his third T20 World Cup but, given how complete a batsman he has become in the format, it is astonishing to think that he has only played four matches for the Proteas in the two previous editions of the showpiece event.

In the 2021 T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, Klaasen only played in the opening two matches, scoring a run-a-ball 13 against Australia but did not bat against the West Indies. He then made way for Quinton de Kock or Reeza Hendricks, depending on how you looked at the shuffled batting line-up.

The following year, in Australia, he played in South Africa’s last two games, both lost, as the replacement for the injured David Miller, scoring 15 and 21.

The Proteas will depend far more heavily on Klaasen in this year’s World Cup, which got underway in the early hours of this morning, with South Africa opening their campaign against Sri Lanka in New York on Monday evening (SA time). That’s because the 32-year-old now smashes the cricket ball with so much power and consistency that he is undoubtedly considered to be one of the best T20 batsmen in the world.

Which is why the Sunrisers Hyderabad bought him for nearly R12 million for the Indian Premier League in 2023 and he has certainly repaid them. Klaasen averaged 49.78 and scored at a blistering strike-rate of 177.08 last year, and last week he helped his team into the 2024 final by scoring 479 runs at 39.92 and a strike-rate of 171.07.

This year’s figures included what he called a mid-season slump in which he scored ‘only’ 42 runs in three innings.

Now at the height of his powers, Klaasen finds ways of dealing with the immense pressure of expectation from the fanatical Indian fans and the team owners paying millions for his services, which should stand him and his fellow IPL stars in good stead during the more nervewracking moments of the World Cup. More often than not, Klaasen’s route to success is by not changing anything – he says staying true to himself and his game-plan is the key.

“I was a little disappointed because I was quite average in the middle of the IPL, but I was still pleased with my figures after such a bad run and hopefully I can carry that into the World Cup,” Klaasen told Rapport from Fort Lauderdale this week.

“My success is based on not moving away from what I do and during that dip, I moved away from my game-plan. I was trying to chase a strike-rate of more than 200 because the pitches were good for batting in the IPL and the execution of the batsmen was on another level. My strike-rate had dropped to 180 and I started to look at my numbers rather than just play.

“I was trying to hit more sixes to try and get back to 200. But I had a nice, hard chat with myself and also spoke with AB de Villiers, and stopped looking at my numbers. I got back to what I normally do and my form came right back immediately. The problem was my focus was wrong.

“But in the IPL you are measured by the number of sixes you hit and your strike-rate, no-one looks at your average. And the impact sub rule meant everyone was playing with a lot more freedom, so there’s a lot of pressure on you because strike-rate is your bread-and-butter. And then you have a couple of interviews where the media highlight your stats and then your first six balls don’t go according to plan and it plays in your head. You don’t follow your process. You just have to be mentally strong enough to recognise it and not fall into the trap,” Klaasen said.

Speaking of mental strength, it is an area of the Proteas’ game that is always under the spotlight at World Cups, but Klaasen, a phlegmatic character at the best of times, believes the number of players in the squad who have experienced and performed under the heaving pressure of the IPL should ensure there is no choking or puking due to nervousness.

“A lot of the guys have played in the IPL, where there is a lot of pressure and expectation. So we can tap into that, stay nice and calm and just focus on our execution. I firmly believe that if we execute well, then there’s no team that can beat us. And the majority of our IPL players are in good form too.

“In our last three World Cups [including the 2023 50-over event in India], we had only one bad one in Australia. In the UAE, we lost one out of five matches but missed out on nett run-rate, and in last year’s ODI World Cup in India we played some unbelievable cricket and reached the semi-finals.

“So we are playing good world cup cricket. The squad has a maturity about it and we are gelling nicely. We just have to play the big moments well,” Klaasen said.

But before Proteas fans get into a froth about the knockout stages, South Africa still have to clean up some awkward opposition in their opening group.

“Our first few matches are going to be our most important,” Klaasen said. “We are in a tricky group – Sri Lanka are very dangerous, the Netherlands have beaten us twice before and Bangladesh can beat any team on their day.

“So it’s important we get off to a very good start, that will relax us and then we can keep building on our confidence and focus on what we do best and our intensity,” Klaasen said.

Now they just need the rain forecast for Monday morning in New York to stay away …

With Proteas heading off to IPL destinations, T20 squad will be different to ODI group 0

Posted on March 29, 2021 by Ken

South Africa’s squad for the three ODIs against Pakistan from April 2-7 should be announced on Thursday and with several players heading off to their IPL destinations thereafter, a rather different-looking T20 squad will also be announced for those four matches that follow from April 10-16.

The last time the Proteas assembled a squad for ODI cricket was at the end of last year for the ill-fated abandoned series against England, and that squad will form the basis for Thursday’s selection. Kagiso Rabada should return to the 18-man list, however, while fitness concerns could see Dwaine Pretorius and Janneman Malan make way for Wiaan Mulder and Reeza Hendricks respectively.

Andile Phehlukwayo is another player who has not played much cricket lately, the all-rounder having not seen action in a month due to a injury he picked up after bowling four deliveries for the Dolphins in the T20 Challenge. Given his meagre returns at international level lately, the all-rounder’s place must be vulnerable.

The domestic form of Sisanda Magala, a seamer who bowls a heavy ball and is excellent at the death, as well as being a dangerous lower-order hitter, makes a compelling case for him to finally see international action, having been a member of Proteas squads before but without getting a cap.

The ODI squad will go into a bio-secure bubble around March 26, which means the Proteas stars are going to be pulled from the 4-Day Domestic Series final which looks set to be contested by the Dolphins and Titans.

Even with the departures of Lungi Ngidi, Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Quinton de Kock and David Miller to the IPL ahead of the T20 series, the bulk of the squad that were competitive in Pakistan should be chosen, proving to the naysayers that South Africa is not thin on talent.

Temba Bavuma will bolster the side as he captains the Proteas for the first time in both series, while Rassie van der Dussen could also be included, adding experience to the batting. Magala and Migael Pretorius should also be called up after their outstanding domestic form.

Seamer Ottneil Baartman is another potential new cap.

Possible squads

ODI – Quinton de Kock, Janneman Malan/Reeza Hendricks, Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Jon-Jon Smuts, Heinrich Klaasen, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj, Sisanda Magala, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Anrich Nortje, Wiaan Mulder, Kyle Verreynne, Lutho Sipamla, Beuran Hendricks.

T20 – Temba Bavuma, Reeza Hendricks, Janneman Malan, Pite van Biljon, Rassie van der Dussen/Ryan Rickelton, Heinrich Klaasen, George Linde, Dwaine Pretorius, Bjorn Fortuin, Sisanda Magala, Migael Pretorius, Nandre Burger, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lutho Sipamla, Okuhle Cele, Glenton Stuurman, Ottneil Baartman.

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    1 John 3:2 – “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him.”

    The desire of every Christian should be to become like Jesus Christ.

    Unconditionally accepting the Lordship of Christ is the beginning of that way of life. You should be focused on becoming like him.

    But trying to do this in your own strength will only lead to frustration and disappointment. When you are united with the Holy Spirit, your faith will come alive.

    Total obedience to Jesus is also needed to develop a Christlike character.

    This means just loving and serving God and others! No hypocrisy, nor false pride, nor trying to impress your fellow man.

     



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