MI Cape Town batting coach Hashim Amla insists they will continue to back Dewald Brevis despite his struggle for runs so far in this season’s SA20.

The 20-year-old has only had two double-figure scores across six innings in the tournament with his highest score of 21 coming in Tuesday’s 36-run defeat against Durban’s Super Giants at Newlands.

Speaking after the loss, Amla made it clear that the message to Brevis will be to get himself in and assess conditions before expressing himself later on.

Amla himself faced scrutiny about his technique and temperament early in his international career before going on to become a Proteas legend on and off the field.

“He’s a very powerful youngster who can hit sixes and can take the game forward,” he said about Brevis. “Probably the game today panned out in that manner.

“But unfortunately, there were not enough partnerships in the middle to set the game up for that kind of onslaught towards the back end.

“He did have a struggle to get runs in the last couple of games. He looked more promising today, getting himself in. Yeah, so that’s been the message to him.

“Obviously, we’ll back him because he’s a really exciting cricketer who can win matches.”

On the other side of the spectrum, MI Cape Town opener Ryan Rickelton has been in spectacular form and Amla suggested that it won’t be long before the wicketkeeper-batter is donning Proteas colours again.

Rickelton cracked four consecutive half-centuries – with a highest score of 98 – to start his 2024 SA20 campaign.

Amla added: “He is a hard worker, in all facets of the game – batting and wicketkeeping. He is an intelligent cricketer. I have had the good fortune of working with him at the Lions as well.

“We saw in the first four games that he played in a positive manner. He is a strong lad who can hit sixes. He is putting his hand up to represent SA in the white-ball game.

“He is a selfless cricketer. You know batting in the powerplay is not easy because you can lose your wicket.”