Expressionless, resilient and composed. Those are the three words that spring to mind when I consider Heinrich Klaasen’s contribution to the current Proteas’ delicate fold of players, writes Marc Jacobson.

The Proteas have had somewhat of a tumultuous summer of cricket – more so bad than good, unfortunately. 

After what was a disastrous 2019 Cricket World Cup for the men in green and gold, followed by a Test series drubbing by India in September, the Proteas were left licking their wounds with a cloud of uncertainty plaguing their future.

With respected and renowned stalwarts – Mark Boucher (head coach), Jacques Kallis (batting consultant) and Graeme Smith (CSA director of cricket) – having then taken over some of the administrative duties of the national outfit late last year, there was some cause for optimism.

Along toured in December the World Champions England, a team brewing with confidence that had all intentions of capitalizing against a fragile and vulnerable Proteas outfit.

Despite a promising performance in their first Test in Centurion – which South Africa subsequently won – the home side fell way short in their following three tests to lose the series 3-1.

Thanks to a washed-out One Day International at Kingsmead (again), the ODI series was shared 1-1, before England came up trumps 2-1 in the more competitive T20 series.

Much still seemed gloomy as South Africa were unable to right their wrongs, dot their I’s and cross their T’s against Australia either, getting smashed in two T20 matches to lose that series 2-1, as well.

During the ODI series against the Aussies, up-stepped Klaasen to the plate – in an environment where the Proteas have mixed and matched all sorts of combinations and selections throughout the summer inbound tours in which to decipher their formula.

Fortunately, the Proteas have reaped some success in the ODI series so far, having racked up impressive wins in the first two matches to already clinch the three-match series. 

They beat Australia by 74 runs in Paarl, before surging to a six-wicket victory in Bloemfontein.

Klaasen has been the stand-out batsman in both ODIs and has contributed the most combined runs out of any other batsman – including in the Australian line-up.

It is important to note that the Pretoria-born wicketkeeper-batsman made his Test debut against India in that torrid series last September where he only managed to score 11 runs from his two innings’.

With so much uncertainty looming over the Proteas camp, Klaasen returned to the mix for the ODI series against Australia on a presumed ‘trial’ basis since his Test debut slump.

In the turn of the new year, Klaasen, who was schooled at Hoërskool Menlopark in Pretoria and who leads the Titans in the local leagues, started to make a statement during the Momentum One Day Cup at the start of 2020.

He contributed sternly with the bat and, coming in at his usual position of number five, racked up stylish scores of 41, 40, 27 and 54 in his team’s first four matches of the tournament.

The 28-year-old again got his opportunity to make his mark at the highest level against Australia in Paarl – and what a superb job he did at that.

Klaasen top-scored with the bat with his unbeaten score of 123, which earned him the man-of-the-match accolade. 

However, it was more the manner in which he took over the reins in the middle that managed to turn heads.

With the Proteas batting first, the right-handed batsman joined debutant Kyle Verreynne at a crucial stage of the match when the Proteas were limping along on 48-3.

Many pundits and spectators alike foresaw the Proteas suffering their recurring top to middle-order crumble against a world-class pace bowling attack in the likes of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc.

Now it was up to the two inexperienced red-headed batsmen to make up some ground and to prevent yet another embarrassment in front of a capacity home crowd.

With forest fires in the surrounds of the stadium having threatened proceedings of the match, it was Klaasen and Verreynne who were instead firing on the field (excuse the pun).

It has been evident throughout the summer series’ that whenever captain Quinton de Kock went out cheaply; the team struggled to gain any sort of ascendency thereafter.

However, the composed Klaasen – with his poker facial expression – managed to calmly and collectedly lift his team from their knees. He combined superbly with Verreynne to amass a partnership of 78.

Verreynne must be given much credit for scoring 48 under the circumstances, but it was Klaasen who continued the team’s resilient effort.

He was the glue that conjoined a splintered Proteas batting order and in many ways, he resembles similar qualities to that of England’s Jonny Bairstow. 

Bairstow, also a wicketkeeper-batsman, was one of England’s pivots behind their recent ODI and T20 series successes against South Africa.

Portraying a similar façade to that of Klaasen, Bairstow managed to ignite England’s innings when the going got tough.

Klaasen’s calm composure was especially evident in his solid partnership with David Miller following Verreynne’s wicket.

After reaching his half-century, Miller seemed visibly panicked after slogging at successive deliveries in an attempt to accelerate his team’s run-rate – only to miss each one or deeply inside-edge one or two. 

His rhythm and confidence looked to take a blow after what was a fine innings up until that point. When Klaasen stepped in to face, he dealt further hefty blows to Australia’s attack by successfully carving away more clean-cut boundaries.   

Miller’s post-50 efforts were to no avail as he got dismissed shortly after for 64. Klassen stayed on, batted in tandem with South Africa’s tail-enders, and managed to smash a total of seven fours and three sixes to become the hero of the day with an exemplary strike-rate of 107.89.

His composure showed to be telling on a day when the Proteas again seemed to be down and out at the beginning of the innings.

Janneman Malan, who went out for a golden duck in that same match on debut, was the hero of the day in Bloemfontein last night, having top-scored with 129 not out. Klaasen, however, combined superbly with him in the middle order to score 51.

PLAYER MOMENTS: JANNEMAN MALAN’S SERIES-WINNING MAIDEN CENTURY

The two scored a partnership of 81 before Malan and Miller composedly saw the Proteas home with an unbeaten partnership of 90.

Klaasen, however, was particularly impressive with the way he managed to rotate the strike as the game remained in the balance in the second half of the innings. His composure, again, shone through – as did Malan’s superb spell in what was only his second ODI. 

Miller, too, is beginning to show his true colours again and it suddenly doesn’t look too downbeat for the Proteas at present. Much credit must also be handed to Lungi Ngidi, who took six wickets to help restrict the Aussies to 271 all out. 

PLAYER MOMENTS: LUNGI NGIDI MAIDEN FIVE-FOR RESTRICTS AUSTRALIA

But Klaasen’s expressionless and calm character, in particular, could pose danger for the opposition as they might never quite easily anticipate what he has up his sleeve – a trait that should serve the Proteas well in their many moments of predictability.

He has certainly instilled some desperate hope within the Proteas set-up as the third and final ODI against Australia in Potchefstroom on Saturday promises to be an appetizing one.

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