Corona Virus strikes South Africa 

The Corona Virus has struck the World. It has especially made an immediate impact on the World of Sport, with all major sporting events cancelled as a precaution, to prevent the spread of the virus at a rapid rate. 

This wont stop us at Cricket Fanatics Magazine. We will continue to entertain all of you with exclusive and fresh content in the midst of the epidemic. 

This week we bring you up to speed on the Virus' effect on South African cricket. We discuss the major issues and positives in South African cricket. 

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We also bring to you some of the best features and interviews that we have done in the last week.

For the love of the game, 

KHALID MOHIDIN

Editor

Cricket Fanatics Magazine 

Khalid Mohidin and Alasdair Fraser discuss the current state of South African cricket and suggest some solutions to improve on the current positives.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) and the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) have agreed to postpone the balance of the current One-Day International tour of India due to the Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Both Acting Chief Executive Officer, Dr Jacques Faul and Interim Director of Cricket, Graeme Smith have personally been in contact with the BCCI and have expressed their gratitude for their understanding and cooperation in arriving at this very responsible decision.

The two countries will now work together to find an appropriate window in the international cricket calendar for the three-match ODI series. The Proteas are currently preparing for their return to South Africa.

“Our view is that this decision is both necessary and a precaution that had to be taken in the interest of cricket and the sustainability of the game.

"We are monitoring the situation with the virus and are in constant consultation with medical and virology experts.

"We will apply our minds to the input of experts and act in a way that reflects our duty of caring for our players”, commented Dr Faul.

“We are currently doing a full risk assessment on the influence of the virus on our operations, including the current domestic season,” concluded Dr Faul.

by Alasdair Fraser

The ICC’s proposal to ensure there is at least one sanctioned world event every year might work in South Africa’s favour, given the lack of major cricket tournaments hosted by Mzansi in the past decade​. 

Hopefully, the Women’s T20 World Cup, which will be hosted by South Africa in 2022, is the catalyst for exciting times in this new decade.

As a fan of the early-1990s vintage, it is with great excitement to see South Africa host the second edition of the Over-50 Cricket World Cup. Unfortunately, Jonty Rhodes pulling out has put a slight damper but I’m sure once the first over has been bowled the excitement will grow.

The tournament, sponsored by Evergreen Lifestyle Retirement Villages, features 12 teams from around the cricket world, with each team playing eight 45-over games within the space of just 13 days before the final, at Newlands, on 24 March.

There will be other ex-Proteas, though, who’ll feature at the event with the likes of Dave Callaghan, Alan Dawson, Pieter Strydom and Henry Williams taking their place alongside the likes of former first-class stalwarts like Louis Koen, Bradley Player, Kenny Jackson and a few lesser-known names who’ll be brushing away the cobwebs in their respective old kit bags.

If you are residing in the Western Cape, I recommend exploring the beautiful club grounds dotted around the province and enjoy what will be some absorbing cricket while you sip on your favourite beverage.

Another positive to look forward to is that South Africa will also be hosting the Women’s 2022 T20 World Cup. Given that the Proteas Women were outstanding in Australia and narrowly lost to the hosts and eventual winners, South Africans will welcome the world with open arms come 2022 and will get behind a unit that is going from strength to strength.

It’s a crying shame, though, that South Africa hasn’t hosted a big cricket event since the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy. Before that, it was the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in 2007 and the Cricket World Cup in 2003. It’s a crying shame that a legend like Dale Steyn never got to play in a World Cup hosted in South Africa either.

Given South Africa’s great success in hosting the IPL on behalf of India in 2009 and our high success rate as a nation to put on a wonderful show (remember the 2010 Fifa World Cup?), it’s been puzzling to see a dearth of major events in Mzansi.

The last time a Rugby World Cup took place in South Africa was 25 years ago, yet France (2007 and 2023) and some parts of the UK have basked in Rugby World Cup action multiple times.

It’s a tough economic climate on a global scale and far more hard-hitting closer to home. We need the cash injection that comes with hosting these high-scale events. What plays in our favour is that South Africa already has an existing stadium infrastructure that is world-class. Yet the tumbleweeds have been blowing across the fields of our stadiums over the past decade.

The ICC’s proposal to ensure there is a world event every year for the next decade might work in South Africa’s favour. Under the proposal, first tabled to the ICC Board in October last year, there would be a T20 Champions Cup in 2024 and 2028 and an ODI Champions Cup in 2025 and 2029, alongside the T20 World Cups in 2026 and 2030, and the ODI World Cups in 2023, 2027 and 2031.

Crucially, the big three (England, India and Australia) aren’t too happy about this as it will infringe on their cash-cow bilateral series like the Ashes and could affect India’s lucrative IPL. The small fry (the rest of the Test-playing nations) and Associate Members won’t mind it one bit.

This is where South Africa as a host nation comes in. While I was never a fan of the Champions Trophy concept and supported the ICC’s decision to can the ‘nothing’ event, it may lead to South Africa getting their name back on the cricketing calendar by hook or by crook.

It’s time for our next generation of fans to be inspired by seeing the likes of Virat Kohli, Ben Stokes and Kagiso Rabada performing at a major tournament in our backyard because the gold standard will always be the hosting of a World Cup.

India have the next ODI showpiece in 2023 (they co-hosted it in 2011). Surely, it’s our turn next?

By Daniel Orsmond

With the T20 World Cup fast approaching, I thought it would be appropriate to discuss where I believe the Proteas have fallen short in recent times, having suffered back-to-back home series losses to Australia and England.

The Proteas have severely lacked consistency in terms of their T20 selection, and although I believe that they have made great strides in filling certain positions within the side, one position remains more vulnerable than ever.

That position, as I’ve mentioned on so many occasions, is the batting all-rounder position.

Why does this only seem to be an issue now?

Over the last decade or so, South Africa have been blessed (without many of us realising it) with the batting all-round services of JP Duminy who averaged a staggering 39 in T20 cricket at a rate of 126 per 100 balls; stats worthy of any specialist batsmen around the country or even the world at the time.

In addition to the very robust batting portion of the elegant left-hand batsman was a very capable and highly intelligent off-break bowler who cost around 7.7 runs per over which, in my opinion, is below par for even a specialist bowler in this format of the game.

Why would you need a 6th bowler?

Given the nature of modern cricket and T20 cricket, in particular, this shouldn’t be too tough a question to answer. I would argue that it is inevitable that one bowler is likely to get some ‘tap’ in any T20 game.

To support this idea, let’s look at the worst economy rates by a South African bowler in each game of their last 4 T20 series:

It becomes quite clear that regardless of the outcomes of these games (The Proteas won 6 of the 11), one of the South African bowlers has been on the receiving end of some seriously destructive batting and as a purist of the game (or at least I’d like to consider myself one) I don’t think that the bowler is always to blame.

The margin for error that bowlers are subjected to in this form of the game is laughable at times and I tend to have a soft spot for anyone willing to subject themselves to that kind of carnage.

Having said, cricket is a game of numbers and a bowler who, for whatever reason, has found himself to be leaking runs at a rate that is not sustainable for a captain, should be taken off immediately and replaced by the ‘extra bowler’.

I use the term ‘extra bowler’ intentionally, as opposed to ‘another bowler’. There is no space for 6 out-and-out bowlers in T20 cricket, and to be honest, there probably isn’t space for 5 (but I digress).

The criteria for that 6th bowler, in my opinion, should be that he makes the team based on his batting alone and his ability with the ball is simply a luxury or a bonus to the South African side.

Jacques Kallis played that role in the South African Test side and his ability with the ball allowed South Africa to pick an extra batsman.

JP Duminy, who is one of the best T20 batsmen the Proteas ever had, played that role perfectly in the ODI and T20 side and it is this position that South Africa have not been able to fill since his retirement.

It is clear that South Africa have tried desperately to replace him with the likes of Chris Morris, Dwaine Pretorius, Andile Phehlukwayo, and lately Jon Jon Smuts, but they, unfortunately, have one thing in common…none of them would make the South African side purely on their batting.

Looking at the Proteas’ last 4 T20 series, a total of 11 games were played. The Proteas used 6 bowlers in 8 of those 11 games.

Of the 3 games where 5 bowlers were used (and the extra batsman was chosen), the Proteas won two and lost one.

So what do I suggest?

I believe that the Proteas, as a T20 outfit, have declined significantly over the last year or so (Specifically in the post Duminy era) and I believe that a clear game plan is needed.

I believe there to be 3 options available to the Proteas at this point in time:

Pick a bowling all-rounder to bat at 6:
This is the least appealing option in my opinion, especially given the average batting performance against decent opposition when this ‘strategy’ is applied. Don’t get me wrong, Andile Phehlukwayo, Chris Morris, and Dwaine Pretorius are fantastic cricketers, but they are not batting all-rounders and have no place in the Proteas top 6.

Pick 5 bowlers and hope that the benefit of having the extra batsman outweighs the risk of one of the 5 bowlers getting some ‘tap’ and not having a suitable replacement:
To be honest, as it stands, this is the option that I’m starting to lean towards. A ‘par’ score in T20 cricket seems to be getting higher and higher each year and I don’t think that we will be a successful T20 outfit until we are able to post totals in and around that 180 on a consistent basis.

A top 6 which is capable of doing that the World Cup would be:

• Quinton de Kock
• Temba Bavuma
• Faf du Plessis
• AB de Villiers
• Heinrich Klaasen
• David Miller

Stick with Smuts as the batting all-rounder:
Firstly, I think Smuts is a great cricketer. He’s been the rock of the Warriors side for a number of years and rightfully earned his call up to the national side.

I do think that he has the ability to score runs at an international level but (without much evidence to support this idea) I think he is someone that likes to take his time initially to settle down, get a sense of the conditions and really look to build an innings.

This type of player doesn’t suit the modern T20 format where you’re expected to hit the ball running from the get-go. His place in the ODI side is a different discussion altogether but if it were up to me, he would not have a seat on the plane to Australia later this year.

Final thoughts:
I believe that South Africa have 5 T20 games against the West Indies pencilled in before the World Cup, with 3 potential games against Sri Lanka as well as Pakistan also in the pipeline.

What I’d like to see Mark Boucher and the supporting staff do is to make a definite decision on the ‘structure’ they would like to adopt when they head to Australia, and to then apply that structure for EVERY game leading into the World Cup.

by Marc Jacobson

Raynard van Tonder has held a bat ever since he could walk and, through the years, has progressed to become one of South Africa’s finer prospects in the middle, writes Marc Jacobson.

The 21-year-old said when he was about three or four years old his father bought him his first bat, before cutting it in half and throwing the ball to him to serve as his first ever ‘batting practice’.

Over the years, Van Tonder, who hails from Bloemfontein and who was schooled at Grey College, has made waves in the local cricketing fraternity.

Van Tonder represented Grey College’s 1st XI since he was a fresh-faced grade eight pupil, which is already a telling tale.

He went on to represent the South African U 19 side at two junior World Cups, in 2016 and 2018 – the first of which he was still in matric.

In the 2018 World Cup, Van Tonder captained the national side, led by example and scored the third-most runs in the whole tournament of 348, behind India’s Shubman Gill (372) and West Indies’ Alick Athanaze (418).

In that same tournament he also struck the third-highest total by a South African in U19 ODIs when he smashed 143 – including 14 fours and 6 sixes – against Kenya.

That score still stands as the third-highest behind Quinton de Kock’s 146 against Pakistan in 2012 and Jacques Rudolph’s 156 not out against Nepal in 2000.

It also matched AB de Villiers’ knock of 143 against England in 2003, but Van Tonder’s allotted runs were scored quicker.

“Growing up, [I was inspired] by AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli and now recently I’ve really enjoyed watching Steve Smith,” a humble, yet ambitious Van Tonder told Cricket Fanatics Magazine.

“Those guys really inspired me to play cricket and from a young age I just wanted to get out there and hit with the middle of my bat. Every time I do that, I just want to [keep my eye] in.”

Van Tonder had also accumulated the second-most runs scored by a South African in all U19 ODIs, amassing 1 097 runs in his three-year tenure from 2016 to 2018.

He was second to De Kock’s 1 409, but had scored the best average (49.86) out of any batsmen who had played in 20 innings or more.

Meanwhile, De Kock, the Proteas current captain and wicketkeeper batsman, is Van Tonder’s present inspiration to reach the top of the sport.

The Bloemfontein local’s ambitions are far greater than his past achievements, though, and the shadows of former-cricketing greats and his childhood role models are evidently not too far cast.

“I definitely still want to play international cricket in all three formats and my main goal is to become number one in the world.”

The junior World Cups bore testament to what he was capable of in the greater scheme of things, Van Tonder insinuated.

“The experience of the World Cup was unbelievable – just to be able to test yourself against the world’s best at age-level and to see that you’re not that far off [from being the best].

“I felt like, from seeing other players play from other countries, that they aren’t that much better or different.

“Getting selected in the World XI team [that year] really gave me a lot of confidence heading into franchise and provincial cricket.”

Van Tonder’s performances in the current 4-Day Franchise Series for the Knights have been particularly off the dial, having outscored his rivals with a total 843 runs in 14 innings at a superb average of 70.25.

Edward Moore of the Warriors was second to him by a long shot, having totalled 705 runs with an average of 50.35.

“I’m really happy with my form in the red ball [format]. I had a really good start and fortunately the team’s doing quite well as well, so hopefully I can just continue with the runs heading into the last two games so that we can win the trophy.”

The Bloemfontein-based Knights have been particularly accommodating to him in his young career so far, Van Tonder added.

“The coaching staff and my teammates have all been really supportive. A guy like Keegan Peterson has been helping me a lot as he’s also been scoring many runs in four-day cricket. He was always available to speak to.

“Pite [van Biljon] has been really good as a captain, as well as some other guys. There are many I can name. They have been very important, especially with me coming in as a youngster.

“They have always helped whenever they could and I am fortunate to have proper teammates.”

The middle-order batsman has suffered a series of back-to-back ducks in his last two one-day games during the ongoing Momentum One Day Cup, but he assured that those were merely just glitches.

“I don’t think there is a massive problem. I just think it is more about going in, getting a good start and making big runs. I can’t really say why I haven’t been scoring runs there.

“I had a better start to my senior career in red-ball cricket, but it’s not the end yet.”

by Abhai Sawkar

Wihan Lubbe is determined to work hard to pursue his dream of one day representing the Proteas​.

It’s a new year for cricket in South Africa, and it’s a new beginning. The T20 World Cup draws closer months, and it couldn’t be a better time to get the preparation underway.

The Mzansi Super League, which concluded in December 2019, was an ideal chance for both newcomers and experienced campaigners to throw their hats in the ring for a crack at international cricket.

Considering the fact that batting has been a hot topic in recent discussions, there’s definitely an urge to rectify. Among the uncapped South African batsmen that took part, Wihan Lubbe, the Lions left-hander, has emerged as an encouraging find.

Lubbe was part of the 2018 MSL campaign but only got a chance to play three games, two for the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants and one for the Jozi Stars.

However, his luck changed for the better when the Durban Heat snapped him up for the latest edition. He had to wait until four games into the season to get his first opportunity, but more importantly, patience paid off and he promptly capitalised.

A swashbuckling 83 from 42 balls studded with 7 fours and 5 sixes might have gone in vain against the Cape Town Blitz, but it was a sign of discernible talent and the quest to maximize potential.

Severe weather had an adverse effect on the Heat’s MSL campaign – they came up tantalisingly short of playoff qualification by one point. However, there were plenty of positives to take, not only from the tournament as a whole but also from relatively more frequent game time.

“The MSL was a great experience,” says Lubbe. “I loved playing a bit more and getting to share the field with some of the best in the game. The standard of the tournament is definitely a bit better than the first year and I believe it will grow into a respected tournament all over the world.”

Lubbe’s first go in the MSL was an exhibition of robust strokeplay square of the wicket plus finesse and style to go with it, too. He’d finish with 175 runs in 6 games, averaging close to 30, but there was another number that stood out – a tremendous strike rate of 184.

As a matter of fact, that’s the best strike rate among the top 20 players on the run charts of this MSL. Coming in at No 3, he often signalled his intentions to build a brisk innings right from the outset.

In addition to his batting, Lubbe’s off-spin has been steadily improving over the course of his career. In the last group stage game for the Durban Heat, Lubbe opened the bowling against the Paarl Rocks and conceded 21 runs from 3 overs.

“I definitely see myself as a batting all-rounder,” Lubbe confidently stated. “I have always worked hard to have an extra skill to offer teams that I play for.” And that’s very much a fair claim – he has a five-wicket haul in first-class cricket, as well as best figures of 3 for 20 in the shortest format.

The timeline to the limelight has been quite the adventure: it all started off with a first-class debut in 2013 for North West, and he entered the franchise scene for the 2016-17 season with the Highveld Lions.

By then he had a well-established first-class record from the provincial level, but the situation improved exponentially in 2018. Just prior to the inaugural MSL, Lubbe blitzed a barnstorming 36-ball 102, with 5 fours and 11 sixes in the Africa T20 Cup.

This was the innings that catapulted him to his first MSL gig. Patience and indefatigable diligence have been a mantra for Lubbe, and when it comes to motivation, he looks up to one of the relatively late starters to international cricket who was known to give it his all and succeed.

At 27, Lubbe’s at a point where he’ll be playing his best cricket, and one can resolutely say the never-give-up attitude is ubiquitous among the greats of the game.

“From a cricket idol perspective, I have always loved Michael Hussey – the fact that he had to work hard and keep grafting before getting a chance to play for Australia and then became one of the best in the world. He never gave up on his dream.”

Furthermore, he credits his coaches from his earlier cricketing days for his burgeoning quest for higher honours. It’s been a memorable journey, and the mentoring he’s received has definitely proven instrumental.

“I have had a few people in my life that have played a major role in my cricket career and life. My high school coach Werner Faul was the first to have a very big impact and my coach at varsity, Conrad de Swardt, was another. Both played a big part in my development.”

It’s no secret that Lubbe passionately enjoys all his cricket. He has a pretty strong first-class record with an average of 37, and has been very productive at franchise level. The 2018-19 4-day tournament was part of a breakthrough season – he scored two centuries, one of which is his current personal best score of 166 against the Titans.

“I have had a few special innings, my knock against the Blitz in this years MSL is up there as one of my most memorable with my first 100 for the Lions. I am a big fan of all three formats so it will be wrong for me to pick only one.”

Cricket aside, Lubbe is also a talented golfer, too. During the domestic season, he’s based in Gauteng, but the Pretoria native expressed his liking for the coastal atmosphere as well.

“Yeah, Durban was great, the rain held us back a little bit but apart from that I really enjoyed it,” he added. “We played a bit of golf when granted the opportunity, and I am a big golfer in my spare time.”

Now, let’s segue to the current first-class season. In late December, Lubbe kickstarted his stint in the 4-Day Series with a superb century against the Titans, and the Lions would go on to win by 161 runs.

In the very next game against the Dolphins, an attacking 55-ball 65 added some priceless quick runs, and the Lions registered two wins in two games.

Finally, in the following, he’s racked up his best bowling figures in this format: 5 for 43 against the Dolphins. The all-round potential is immense, and Lubbe is a testament to the fact that plenty of promising talent is gradually but staunchly stepping up to the plate during a tumultuous phase for South African cricket.

The search for more young bolters will continue, and Lubbe has, so far, pressed a strong case. As the legendary late great NBA star Kobe Bryant quotes – “Dedication sees dreams come true.”