I’d like to put myself out there for Proteas selection – Malusi Siboto

Lions bowler Malusi Siboto has emphasised his desire to play for the Proteas and says he feels fit, strong, and at a phase where he understands his game very well.

It’s been an enthralling start to the 4-Day Franchise Series, with the change in structure accommodating a larger pool of players, both new and experienced. Especially during this stage of change, the seasoned, evergreen players are talismanic to their teams, given the vast level of knowledge they bring to the table.

For starters, let’s zero in on the Lions – the only Division 1 team to win both their games so far. Their clinical all-round performances have set up comfortable victories against North West and the Warriors, two very formidable sides on paper. The batting has been reliably solid, but it’s the fearsome pace attack that has stolen the show.

One of the destroyers-in-chief is none other than the accomplished, adroit medium-pacer, Malusi Siboto. Interestingly enough, he’s from the same township as the current limited-overs Proteas skipper, Temba Bavuma. And cricket wasn’t the only sport he played during his early days.

“I was born in Langa, Cape Town, and that’s where I learned most of my cricket and hockey,” said Siboto. “I got a bursary at Wynberg High School, and later moved to Potchefstroom. I ended up going to North West with a hockey bursary. I didn’t play any cricket for about 7 months but I fell in love with the game again – from the academy, I went to the amateur team: the Dragons. My biggest setback was not knowing how to bowl. Some may say it’s easy, but knowing how to work out a batter can be difficult. Sometimes you have to hit the right lengths. I had to learn all these things fairly early.”

One of Siboto’s qualities to admire is his relentless, tireless aim to fix existing flaws as well as apply his skills to the best of his ability at all times. He didn’t bowl with a whole lot of pace, but his consistent lines and lengths were more than enough to offset that. Initially, it may have been tough to accept the fact that he wouldn’t be able to hit the 140’s regularly, but understanding his limits helped him morph his bowling approach to become an even more effective performer.

Another important lesson to learn from Siboto is that the professional scene is far more competitive when compared to school cricket, and those that are able to adjust to the demands relatively quickly will reap the rewards. In addition, it’s essential to focus on your cricket alone, since that disciplined level of concentration will be an integral part of enhancing your game.

“Sport can become a big ego kind of thing. Kids become very good at school level. A lot of them are worshipped at school – everyone talks about them, saying lots of good things. When you reach the next level, you meet folks that have done the same things as you.

“As a result, you have to adjust to that change where nobody talks about you like they did when you were at school. The change can be a bit scary, but you have to take the punches that come with the new change. You have to master your skills, since there are a few others that are as good as or better than you.”

Siboto has been a regular feature in franchise cricket for the better part of the last decade, having a stint at the Knights, Titans, and currently, the Lions. In more recent times, he’s been a personable mentor figure for some of the up-and-coming players such as Wiaan Mulder and Lutho Sipamla, both of whom have played a smattering of games in national colours.

“We like to teach each other how to hold the ball and change the angle. I don’t change how the others bowl, but we like to share information. Wiaan is at the phase where he knows what failure is, and he knows where he’s at with his game. If he can figure things out, he will definitely be one of the best all-rounders in the country.”

Now, let’s segue to the Lions’ bowling attack. Malusi Siboto, Sisanda Magala, Duanne Olivier, and Lutho Sipamla shared 40 wickets between them after two games. The highlight definitely was rolling over the Warriors for 96 and 54 to score an unbelievable innings victory after posting 170 on the board. Siboto was brimming with acclaim for his pace-bowling colleagues.

“If we look at our team, we have three guys that have played over 100 games. If I’m struggling, I can always have a chat with Sisanda and Duanne – we all understand each other’s game plans. What stood out the most for me was how Duanne wanted to bowl all day. The rest of us were just feeding off that. Nobody was really trying to outdo the others. Everything won’t necessarily click straight away, but when it clicks, make the most of it. Keeping it simple and good communication were key.

“Magala is a guy who is quick and skiddy. He usually plays the controlling role. He’s aware of his role and doesn’t complain about anything. Even when you control, it doesn’t mean you’ll take wickets. Sometimes containing means bowling straighter lines and trying to get the batters to play at it. Control sometimes means adjustment, because it depends on the batter.”

Just like Tests, the 4-day game is all about patience. It can often be a battle of attrition, and Siboto relishes the competitive atmosphere. Every spell – in fact, every over – is a learning experience for him. It’s all about backing yourself and your teammates to get the job done, game after game.

On a different note, sometimes bowlers can be pigeonholed to formats and recently, there have been countless performances to disprove that. Siboto offered an astute analysis for the bowling he’s watched in the ongoing T20WC. For a bowler who has played a combined total of 334 games across all three formats, it’s clear that each format has its unique formula to success.

“In T20 cricket, you need to be more street-smart. You can’t fight fire with fire,” quipped Siboto. “If I’m coming in at the final over of the Powerplay or in the middle overs, I need to try to bowl less to the set batter and more to the new batter. If I can bowl 4 overs for 25 or 30, I’m generally happy. I could bowl 4 overs for 45 and take 4 wickets.

“Ultimately, I want to challenge myself all the time as well as be ahead of the situation. If I can get a couple of dot balls in a Powerplay over, I’m satisfied, since I’m trying to get one of the guys off strike and the other guy will have to hit his shots. You can’t bowl too many slower balls early on, since that will make you more predictable. It’s all about understanding, accepting, and backing your strengths.”

That mantra has fetched nearly 500 wickets across Siboto’s career, to date. The icing on the cake in the first 4-day game of this season was a handy half-century with the bat. Even though he’s better known for his prowess as a bowler, his first-class average of 18 is definitely suggestive of the fact that he can be very useful down the order. His exuberant confidence has always remained intact, and he has ambitions for a Proteas call. It’s never too late, and with a strong reputation over the course of almost a decade and a half could well and truly come in handy.

“I feel I’m fit, strong, and at a phase where I understand my game very well. I’d like to put myself out there. Dominic Hendricks has proven on many occasions that he deserves a chance. Duanne Olivier is back, and he’s definitely knocking on the door too. Ryan Rickelton and Sisanda Magala are another two guys who should get a chance, too. We have excellent teams and excellent bowlers all around the country. We can grow as a bowling attack in South Africa.”

Siboto has also earmarked a few young fast bowlers who are potentially in line to represent South Africa in the near future. At the same time, he’s a bit wary about the immediate fast-tracking approach even when it comes to the prodigiously gifted cricketers, too.

“Yeah, we need to look after guys like Marco Jansen in the Warriors. He’s a talented left-armer, and we have to make sure he is strong and can last the whole season. At the moment, Jansen is well-proven. But whenever these young guys aren’t doing that well, it’s that much harder to come back. Guys like Dean Elgar, Temba Bavuma, Faf du Plessis, and Rassie van der Dussen, to name a few, have had to dominate for 4-5 seasons to finally make it to the Proteas.”

Ultimately, the most important takeaway is Siboto’s unwavering belief in extra hard work. Success is something we all strive for, and the excitement is palpable after doing the hard yards. With Siboto now part of the leadership group in the Lions setup, the level of intensity has gone up a notch and the Lions look to be on course to add to their trophy cabinet.