BECOME A PATRON

By Khalid Mohidin

Hey, guys! Welcome to Cricket Fanatics Magazine. I would like to welcome you to the first and only fan-driven Cricket publication in South Africa.

I started this venture on 1 July 2019 with a vision to get fans from all walks of life engaged with the game and the personalities in cricket.

We want to tell the untold stories of South African cricket and we want fans to be heard.

Since we started, we covered the Mzansi Super League, Women’s Super League, Proteas Men and Women International Test, ODI and T20I series, as well as school and club cricket, with the aim of providing entertaining, engaging and educational content.

But hasn’t stopped there.

We started a Monthly Magazine where we provide multi-media content, including exclusive features, opinion pieces and analysis.

This works hand-in-hand with our YouTube channel where we produce unique cricket shows that allow fans to call in and have their say. 

We have the Daily Show, which reveals all the major talking points in South African cricket.The Sunday Podcast Show where we sit back, relax and engage with the live chat, answering all the questions fans have about us and the game.

We have Off-Side Maidens, the first ever All-Women’s Cricket Show on YouTube, which helps empower women in cricket and gives them a place to share their own views on not only women’s cricket but all cricket.

We have a Legends show, where we interview all legends in cricket.

To produce all of this, we’ve invested a lot of money, time and effort to bring this to you for free.

But to keep this going we need your help. So we have opened a Patreon account.

Today, we are fortunate that technology has enabled anyone to become a patron of creative work, even if they are not a billionaire.

We have therefore launched a campaign for you as a Cricket Fan to become a patron and support us as an independent, bootstrapped publisher.

As a Patron, you also get your voice heard as a Fan.

Plus: You have the opportunity to become more engaged with the content we produce.

Every month we produce at least:

• 60 Website Articles
• 20 Daily Video Shows
• 4 Weekly Podcasts
• Match Previews
• Match Reviews
• Video Interviews
• And more…

So please join our Patreon campaign today.

The Proteas Will Bring Energy and Passion

By Khalid Mohidin

Energy and Passion. These are the two highlighted attributes that the Proteas have running through their veins heading into this T20 World Cup tournament.

Yes, strategy, tactics, style of play, skill and technique are all obvious components of the game, but it’s usually always a final sprinkle of intangible ingredients that separates the best from the rest – something extra that takes a team over the line.

History hasn’t favoured the Proteas in previous World Cup campaigns.

Despite fielding teams filled with superstar names and going into tournaments ranked in the top tier, they always came up short.

World Cup heartbreak has always been part and parcel of being a Proteas fan.

Out of the 18 squad members, including 3 reserves, Only 8 players have experienced the ghosts of World Cups past – Rassie van der Dussen, Lungi Ngidi, Quinton de Kock, Kagiso Rabada, David Miller, Andile Phehlukwayo, Aiden Markram and Pretorius – while the rest are new to the pressures of a major tournament.

Do we dare to think differently this time around?

My optimism was certainly revitalised when I sat down for a chat with Proteas all-rounder, Dwaine Pretorius.

“Look, I was there in 2019 and I was there in 2017 with the Champions Trophy,” said Pretorius with a determined glint in his eyes.

“There’s not a lot of guys here with World Cup experience, which obviously could be a big strength for us because there's no real baggage that we're carrying. We come into this tournament quite fresh.

“I think the biggest lesson is that we need to bring the passion and we need to bring the energy. It's as simple as that.

“With the young team that we do have – not inexperienced – if you look at our team, we don't have as many (international) matches as the England team or the West Indian team under our belt, but that brings energy and passion and if we can come out here, bring the energy, bring the passion and be smart, then we've got a great chance of competing very well in this World Cup.

“The guys are up for it and very excited. And we’re looking forward to it a lot. Not too much focus has been given to the past, but we've taken a few lessons there. Nonetheless, the past is the past. We can only worry about what’s to come day by day. We're going to take it from match to match.

“We’ve done a lot of work in terms of how we prepare for matches and our structures. We're going to keep that the same so that our mentality doesn't necessarily change. We're not hyping these games up more than any other South African game. We are very proud of playing for our country. And for us, it's just as important as every match we play. And this World Cup is no different.”

 For over two years, the Proteas embarked on a journey of discovery, particularly in preparation for the T20 World Cup in the UAE.

Mark Boucher and his staff went through an experimental phase of filling the final gaping holes in their starting XI, giving new players opportunities, shuffling roles in the squad dynamic and searching for a clear team identity that included a solid style play.

Despite all of that, Pretorius’ spirits remained high whilst looking back at the preparation leading into their quarantine in the UAE.

“There were a lot of combinations tried. A lot of different bowling combinations or different batting combinations. Different guys in different positions. So I think as a coach you've got that initial experimentation period where you need to find your best players for certain conditions and I think coach Boucher went through that in what was like a building stage,” he explained.

“But I don't want to hide away. Even though we've got a young team, I think our building stage is done now. I think the players that are here will be the core of the white-ball team for quite a while. We've got a great team that I think is very well balanced with very good options in different conditions.

“I think the experimentation period is done in my opinion, and it's now time to put performances on the board. And what is nice is that we've got some sort of performances in T20 cricket behind us over the last few games that we've played in series’, so I think the guys learned a lot in the last 10 games that we've played.”

The Proteas embarked on a gruelling run of T20 tours, which put their weaknesses to the ultimate test.

 First up was a trip to Pakistan, the first in over a decade. A young South African outfit suffered a 2-1 series loss, which was a massive learning curve for Pretorius and his teammates.

“As a player individually, I think I took quite a bit out of it. As a team, it was a very young unit going to Pakistan at that stage. I think we gave a few of the senior players a rest. So it was again, very much an experimentation tour,” he recalled.

“So as a player playing in those games, I think I learned a lot from being able to adapt to certain plans, seeing where players are scoring and where they are strong. Also, making sure that we can adapt to different plans by having more than one option.

“It showed what you need if you want to play cricket at an international level – you need at least one to four plans that you can execute. It broadened my horizons in what's needed to try and perform well.

“Even though you've got all those plans it is no guarantee that you're going to perform well, but at least you've got different tools to try and combat the batters, especially from a bowling point of view.

“From a batting point of view, we thought that in Pakistan the ball might turn quite a bit. It didn't turn that much and it was just a bit slower and lower compared to South Africa.

“If you look at the IPL that happened in the UAE, it could be very much the same. Whereas in Sri Lanka the ball turned quite a bit. So you just need to be adaptable and have a lot more options than just one or two.

“I think that was the whole thing that the coaches brought in to the space is that as a batter you need to be able to try and score 360 (degrees) – you need to have options to score all around the ground.

"That is what we started doing from the first white-ball game since he [Boucher] came into the space.

“From a bowling point of view, you need to make sure that all the percentages are in your favour. I think as a unit, we've learned a lot and I think we are definitely in a much better and stronger position than we were before.”

Next up was a more memorable trip to the West Indies and Ireland, and although Pretorius wasn’t part of the squad, he did receive enough insight from the players and coaches on those tours that he added to his game.

“I took learnings from all the experience that the West Indian players have and their bowling plans in their conditions. A guy like Dwayne Bravo, what does he do? He's not the fastest guy anymore, but he's very smart. So taking bits from him,” he said.

“Taking a bit from how they set up the innings’ and also obviously learning that sometimes 160 is a good score, you don't always have to go for 200.

“In T20 cricket, obviously, with England being very aggressive, everyone's trying to go that route and I think in the West Indies we've learned that there are more ways to win a T20 cricket match than just always scoring 200.

“So I think it's going to be a very interesting T20 campaign and World Cup this year. I think conditions are going to be vital and I think mind power is going to be massive.

“The guys that play the big situations the best are going to be the guys that are going to be in the top four of the World Cup groups. And I think we've learned a lot using our brains more than just our power and just being brave. I think being smart is the key.”

Next was a trip to Sri Lanka, which put the Proteas batters’ ability against spin to the test.

“Well, what's nice about it is you cannot get worse conditions than what we got in Sri Lanka, but it was challenging, there was a lot of turn,” Pretorius exclaimed.

“They had solid players and solid spin plans and all the work that we've been doing over the last two years on our spin game helped. And again, coach Boucher has focused on that quite a lot and trying to make sure that we've got different options against spin to prevent us from being just a one-show pony.

“So I think going to Sri Lanka and seeing how much it turned, how we coped with those conditions and what scores we could put on the board there, and with how much confidence we dealt with that, I think coming to the UAE we've said to ourselves (and that's what I've said to myself) – if we can cope so well with those conditions, even if they are that bad, we are still in a strong position.

“Sri Lanka was great preparation for us, knowing that those conditions are probably as bad as the T20 wickets can get when it comes to turn. We coped well so we got a lot of confidence out of that.”

Pretorius’ importance to the squad is undeniable. As an all-rounder, he frees up players around him and plays a vital role with both disciplines. But there are some secrets to Pretorius’ game that gives us as a fan base the indication of what we can expect from him as a player, particularly in the the T20 game.

“I've looked a lot at how Dwayne Bravo bowls, and then a mixture between how Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell bats,” said Pretorius when asked what he has learnt from the Windies superstars who are the defending T20 champions.

 “There tends to be a pattern in terms of how Bravo bowls. He always bowls his four overs, very rarely goes for more than eight runs an over and picks up a few wickets. His plans are always spot on. He mixes up his pace, his line, his length and it always feels like he's making those batters bat to their Plan C’s and Plan D’s and not their Plan A’s. If he bowls to Kieron Pollard – he's been bowling to him for years – you can see where he bowls, you can see he’s a thinking cricketer.

“If you look at his pace profile it's slightly quicker than mine but very much the same skillset, so you can learn a lot from him in terms of bowling. You realize you don't have to be an Anrich Nortje bowling at 160 km/h to be effective in T20 cricket.

“You can be a Dwaine Pretorius bowling 125-131 km/h and still be effective in T20 cricket and still do a great job. Bravo has been doing it now for years, so you take a lot of confidence out of that because there tends to be a lot of focus on pace in terms of T20 cricket. So, I think Dwayne has paved the way for the guys that don't have that much pace to also have a career in T20 cricket.”

“When it comes to batting, if you want to be that aggressive guy, you look at a guy like Andre Russell and you look at his record, you look at the leagues that he plays. He might be playing 10 matches and he only comes off maybe two or three times in those 10 matches, but when he comes off, he wins the match. So that is something that I've taken from him," Pretorius continued.

“Kieron Pollard is a bit more measured, he gives himself a bit more time and then tries to accelerate at the back end. So for me, I want to be a mixture between the two and I want to be able to do both I want to be able to play the situation if it's needed and also be able to accelerate when that is what the team needs from me.

“If someone needs to take the game on, I want to be able to play that role and if we're in trouble I want to be able to play the role where I take it deep and finish the game off. So those three guys are the three guys that I've looked up to a lot in the T20 game because I think they're the top three in their positions. I'm sure they probably make any team as the first three names down if they are available. So yeah those are the three guys that I've learned a lot from.”

Pretorius signed off with a message to the fans.

“From my side and the team side I can't speak for them, but I spend a lot of time with them – We are 100% committed to winning this World Cup. We are going to need your support on social media and wherever it is. Keep supporting the guys. I can promise you now from our point of view, we will not leave that field without giving our 100%,” he said passionately.

“We are going to miss playing in front of our home crowds but at least we're playing in front of some crowds this World Cup - that's going to be fun.

"But to the fans, please pop us messages of support if you see a guy struggling, don’t just hate on the guy, realise that this is some serious cricket getting played against the best guys, and the biggest chance we've got to win this World Cup is with your support.

“If you want to abuse us, abuse us after the World Cup but during the World Cup please support us. Make sure that everyone knows that the country is behind us and we will do the same. When we're in there we will be playing for you. And we will be trying to make you guys proud.”

Watch the interview below for more exclusive insights from Dwaine Pretorius. 

Proteas adopt a ‘fearless’ approach to T20 cricket – Kyle Verreynne

By Marc Jacobson

The Proteas have focused on adopting a sort of valiant and courageous approach to their T20 game, while acquiring the killer instinct that is needed to succeed, according to the views of renowned wicket-keeper-batsman Kyle Verreynne.

Verreynne stressed that T20 cricket, in general, has become the sort of contest where tenacity overrides longevity and that the decision-making processes thereof can be the difference between winning and losing.
This is simply because the format doesn’t allow for more variations to succeed if things start to fizzle throughout a game.

“I think many teams around the world are very focused around taking the positive options,” Verreynne told Cricket Fanatics Magazine. “If you are uncertain about two scenarios you always go for the one on the positive side.

“The brand of T20 cricket being played around the world now is one where you’ve got to be fearless and for the Proteas, from what I’ve seen and been involved in, that’s definitively an approach they’re willing to take.

“It’s no secret that to win T20 cricket you’ve got to hit a lot of boundaries, take those exceptional catches and go for wickets.”

Gaining apprehension of different situations, while instinctively acting upon these scenarios, is a value that is righteously instilled from within the Proteas set-up, Verreynne added.

“There’s been a lot of focus on game awareness and making sure you understand the situation,” he said while likening this approach to that of Western Province, which strives to assess the conditions and take the necessary actions where needed.

Verreynne, who’s played two Tests and eight ODIs for the Proteas, the last of which was against Sri Lanka in September, said one of the lessons coach Mark Boucher aims to implement is to “be smart”.

“It is about making sure your game awareness is up,” he said. “Something that I’ve learnt from him is that he’s quite big on understanding the situations and making sure your plans are in place.

“In terms of setting a total, it’s about where you want to be at certain overs, and if you’re chasing, how much you want to let the run-rate get to before you start taking it on.

“That’s something I’ve picked up from him and it’s something he will be driving with the T20 guys – that they’re aware of the situations and they know the targets they need to reach.”

With the World Cup taking place in the UAE and Oman, the wickets tend to be heavier, slower and generally turn more. This is one of the reasons why the selections trust opted for a core group of spinning options.

Verreynne hinted that the Proteas would be ready for such impositions, especially on the back of their 3-0 T20 whitewash over Sri Lanka, which, according to him, had “pretty slow” wickets.

“I was there for the one-days and I would say those wickets were pretty similar to what they’ll get at the World Cup,” the former Wynberg Boys High graduate said.

“I think they’ve had good preparation and they should know what to do to be successful. Regarding their game-plan and approach, they’ve picked quite a bit of spinners and all-rounders so they have the guys who’ll suit the conditions.”

Verreynne also said the Proteas can build on their current run of form in T20s, which includes a seven-match winning streak that started with the West Indies and was extended with the two 3-0 series whitewashes over both Ireland and Sri Lanka.

“The Proteas have been playing some seriously good T20 cricket, starting against the West Indies; they’ve been exceptional.

“I think it’s going to be an exciting World Cup, but I think they have what it takes, specifically in those conditions.”

The 24-year-old said he hoped to see spinning all-rounder George Linde in the starting mix, but he’s serving as a travelling reserve.

Another player he’s excited to see stamp his authority at the world showpiece is Tabraiz Shamsi, the world No 1 T20 bowler currently.

“Everyone’s expecting those conditions to favour spin and slow bowling so I think he’s someone who’ll have a massive impact. He’s one guy I’m quite keen to watch.

“From a batting point-of-view, you’ve got to look at Quinny (Quinton de Kock). If he can come off at the top of the order with one of the middle-order guys like Aiden [Markram], Miller or Klaasen it can get quite exciting.”

Although acknowledging that there are the “one or two” favourites for the World Cup, of which he mentioned England and India, Verreynne said you cannot outrightly “rule anyone out”.

“I do feel that all the teams have an outside chance,” he said. “I think it’s going to be quite exciting and I think with the conditions it will cause a lot of close contests which brings each team into it.

“I think there are eight to 10 teams there that can cause upsets and go on to win it.”

Regarding the Proteas, Verreynne felt their form in T20s could stand them in good stead.

“I think the Proteas have a good recipe at the moment and they’ve got a good bunch of guys. They are playing well and everything is sort of lining up nicely for them.

“The conditions play into our favour in the sense that we’ve got world-class spinners in our side and we’ve got a good balance of all-rounders.

“I don’t think we’re favourites, but I do think we’re in with a good chance. It’ll be more about the soft skills off the field and taking care of the small things. If they can get that right then I don’t see why they won’t be in with a shout.”

Pace in the UAE

By Chris Chiwanza

T20 cricket has been changing over the past few years. The language around how players approach the format has been changing, separating it from the other two formats. The intensity is higher and everyone is looking to get an edge. Batters are talking about swing mechanics. They are borrowing ideas and terminology from sports like golf and baseball, for example, they are obsessing on how to get an extra 10% or 20% with their swing plane...

Bowlers have not been sitting back, watching with arms folded. Over the past five to seven years they have been evolving their craft to stay competitive in a format that has been widely viewed as a batter's format.

According to Piet Botha, who has worked with Anrich Nortje since 2016, "Initially, it was just about getting the yorker right and bowl the odd slower ball - by just rolling fingers over it - and getting the field setting in place."

Yorkers, whether wide or directed at the stumps, have become more precise, more accurate, and bowlers are reacting quicker, changing their line and length at the last moment, depending on the movement of the batter. Bouncers have become an integral part of any pacer's arsenal.

Bowlers have looked to their cousins in baseball and developed their own variations, the knuckleball, over spin the ball to get it to dip on the batter and radically change the pace of the ball without necessarily changing arm speed.

Where batters are using heavier bats in training to develop strength, bowlers are using heavier and lighter balls to develop good and consistent arm speed.

"Heavier and lighter balls work as a form of weight training," says Botha.

"We also use elastic bands and medicine balls to help them develop more explosive power."

They are doing more single-leg Romanian deadlifts, planking and other forms of weight training. Physical endurance training, sprint work and resistance training are more intense. The format might be shorter, but it has extreme demands on bowlers, and the goal is to help them retain focus and keep going for longer.

Pacers are now much stronger than they were a few years ago, and with that strength comes more pace, consistently over extended periods.

Look at Anrich Nortje, he bowled the top 8 fastest deliveries in the second half of the IPL. In one match he bowled a blistering over that had the following speeds: 148.2 km/h, 145 km/h, 147.5 km/h, 150.8 km/h, 151.2 km/h, and 147.1 km/h. Not just that, he has been consistently fast, even in suffocating conditions.

As expected, those speeds are from Nortje, because he is express pace, the interesting bit is that he has been bowling them on slow pitches. This sounds a bit counterintuitive to the regular fan, should he not be taking pace off the ball?

I mean, everyone knows that in T20s pace bowlers are vulnerable throughout the full 360 degrees of the field. Their big weapon in preventing boundaries is, in large part, by getting the ball past the bat, more plays and misses, or by inducing a poor contact that will not travel to the boundary. And on slow pitches or certain conditions, it is difficult for the ball to beat the bat or to induce poor contact at speed.

The logical thing for many is pace-off the ball.

But, according to Piet Botha, it's more than just about whether or not to take the pace off the ball on slow pitches.

"Having an attacking mindset can create dot balls," says Botha. "Sometimes bowling with good aggression and hitting the pitch hard can be as good as bowling many slower balls because you are thinking defensively."

In the UAE, Nortje has been effective with the hard length variation, hitting those hard Test-match lengths and they have proven to be as effective as the variations. He has been making use of the Test cricket wisdom to try and hit the top of the off-stump, and it's working well.

"Gone are the days where you can just roll the fingers over the ball and take pace off it," he says. "Batters now just hit through the line and smash it for six or four."

So, the plan should not end with the ball just being slower, it should be an attacking slower ball, an aggressive slower ball, not short slower balls that are attempts at just managing the run rate. Batters will simply sit back and attack. In any case, batters are almost always expecting the slower ball.

Botha feels that sometimes bowlers might be discouraged to persist with the hard length or pace if a perfectly attempted delivery goes for a boundary.

"It is vital that you maintain your aggression and that you bowl each delivery with the intended purpose," he says. "The moment you hesitate or bowl any delivery without focus or purpose, you will be exposed."

And given that the Proteas have two very fast pacers in Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje in the T20 World Cup side, maintaining their aggression and ability to hit the deck hard for a bit longer could help South Africa go all the way.

Bjorn Fortuin: The Player that tackles pressure head on

By Nasri Alexander

When Bjorn Fortuin walked out to bat for the first time for the Proteas it was in a T20 international in Durban against England in February 2020.

The pressure could not have been greater, Dwaine Pretorius had just been trapped lbw by seamer Tom Curran and Fortuin came to the crease and would be on strike with the home team needing three runs to win off the last ball of the game.

The series was played before the Covid-19 virus became a global pandemic and ravaged the world so Fortuin, whose primary role in the national side is as a left-arm spinner, was walking into the cauldron in front of a capacity crowd at Kingsmead.

After a chat with his partner, Rassie van der Dussen, Fortuin surveyed the field then took strike - heart probably skipping a beat - and as Curran got into his delivery stride the batter went down on one knee and tried to lap the ball over the short fine-leg fielder.

It was a brave shot to attempt in the circumstances and it looked as though Fortuin had pulled it off but Adil Rashid backpedalled and took the catch to give England the win.

While he may not have succeeded in pulling off a victory for his country in the frenzied atmosphere in KZN, the bravery of at least attempting to try the shot showed that Fortuin at least has a clear mind and a plan in pressure situations and importantly backs himself to execute.

"I'd rather try and fail, than never try at all" - William F. O'Brien

The Paarl-born player enjoys the big pressure moments, and it seems he thrives when his team needs him the most.

Back in January 2019, Fortuin's domestic franchise, the Lions, needed to win the final 4-Day game of the season against the Warriors to clinch the trophy and they had an awful start to the contest as they slipped to 96-6 early on the first day.

Fortuin again showed he is the man for the big occasion as he slammed 183 batting at number seven with the Lions eventfully getting to a first-innings total in excess of 400.

He then also contributed with the ball in a match that went down to the final few overs in the last session of the fourth day with the Lions sealing a dramatic victory to take the title.

The Proteas are on the cusp of another adventure to a World Cup and Fortuin might well be a key player in the United Arab Emirates as the slower bowlers around the world lick their lips at the likely conditions they will encounter.

Everybody in the cricketing world knows South Africa's record at ICC tournaments in the past, the dreaded 'C' word always pops up. Will they fold again when it is crunch time?

Former Proteas, some legends of the game, have not handled the big moments in big tournaments well and in most cases, it has cost them dearly.

The left-arm spin of Fortuin has become somewhat of a specialist new-ball bowler in T20 cricket, when batters naturally come hard, but that has not fazed him throughout his career.

Ahead of the global tournament, and while the Proteas were in quarantine in Abu Dhabi, Fortuin was asked why he seems to excel in big moments when the pressure is on?

At first he could not give a reason but then simply said: "There's no point in shying away from it (pressure moments). I feel if you face it head-on and accept the challenge there's a bigger chance of you succeeding than when you try to hide away."

It was a simple answer, but it also showed that as a starting point he has the right attitude.

If anyone has watched Fortuin play - for the North West Dragons, the Lions, the championship-winning Paarl Rocks or the Proteas - in any format over the last few years, you would come across a player that does not back down from any challenge and that includes having a feisty attitude.

He is known to stand up for himself and his teammates if it comes to a verbal war out in the middle.

There was some consternation to the selection of the 26-year-old in the 15-man World Cup squad, but he promptly shut everyone up with an outstanding series in Sri Lanka.

Fortuin will also go into the global showpiece with no baggage of previous tournament failures as this will be his first time on the biggest stage.

With no baggage, the right attitude and also just a couple of months married, Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma could well turn to Fortuin when it is crunch time at the T20 World Cup.

 What Does It Take To Win a T20 World Cup? 

By Aaron Viles

So here we are.

After a 1-year postponement and a change of venue due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup is almost upon us.

18 teams will compete for glory in the irrepressible heat of the United Arab Emirates; only 1 will etch their legacy into the hallowed halls of cricketing history for the rest of time.

But on the eve of this truly mouth-watering tournament, you might be wondering, what does it actually take to win a T20 World Cup?

Is it well-implemented strategy? Is it maintaining a sense of level-headedness during pressure situations? Or does the team culture that the side creates ultimately play a major role in their success?

Well, in order to answer that question, I had the pleasure of speaking to an integral member of the iconic England side that lifted the ICC T20 World Cup back in 2010, Warwickshire and former Yorkshire all-rounder Tim Bresnan in order to gain a greater understanding of the things that make a successful side tick during the course of a T20 World Cup.

 At first, we spoke about the preparation before the tournament itself and the strategies that the Three Lions and a Crown looked to implement over the course of that fateful tournament to which Bresnan stated:

“Basically, it was just all-out attack. Our captain Colly (Paul Collingwood) gave us the freedom to go out there and express ourselves. If there was a bowler who you think you could take down, you went after them and forced them off so there was no way for them to come back.”

Interestingly enough, this enterprising approach to the format from the eventual tournament winners was not just limited to the batting as Bresnan would go on to suggest a short while afterwards:

“With our bowling, the plan was to be ultra-aggressive. Take wickets, not necessarily just bowling to keep the runs down, and set attacking fields. We also made sure that we were one of the best fielding sides in the competition, which I think we achieved by taking some spectacular catches, and Colly was a real driving factor with that.”

After scoring 1008 runs and taking a grand total of 36 wickets, 30 of which came from catches alone, over the course of their 7 World Cup matches, it’s pretty safe to say that the England side of 2010 certainly achieved their aim of being one of the most attacking sides in the tournament when it came to all three cricketing departments.

And one particular member of that team was absolutely instrumental in implementing that strategy as the tournament progressed.
As the conversation continued and the nostalgia of that incredible tournament began to flow once more, one name in particular began to crop up over and over again.

Paul Collingwood, England’s skipper for the 2010 T20 World Cup.

Given the recent conversations with regards to T20 captaincy in this year’s IPL and the sheer importance of top-quality captaincy in the format, it didn’t come as a surprise to me when Collingwood’s name was mentioned, but it was fascinating to find out just how pivotal of a role the legendary Durham all-rounder played in moulding England’s road to T20 World Cup glory both on and off the field.

“I think one of the deciding factors behind us winning that tournament was enjoying the cricket that we were playing.” Bresnan exclaimed.

“Everyone was enjoying playing the aggressive brand of cricket which was new to England at the time, and it treated us well in the next five to six years after that World Cup. We also enjoyed each other’s company off the field, making sure that we celebrated our wins and having fun both on and off the field. We played a lot of golf, we relaxed…one of the things that Colly was massive on was creating a team dynamic that was enjoyable for everyone and I think that we achieved that.”

Unsurprisingly, it was this strong team culture that Collingwood and the England leadership group created away from the field that Bresnan believed to be a key factor behind the team’s eventual success at the 2010 T20 World Cup.

“We had a license to do whatever we wanted…we trained hard, we were smart and in a place like the Caribbean, we just had to enjoy it. It’s important to enjoy the cricket but also enjoy the culture, the occasion and the experience, and I think that massively contributed to us winning the competition.”
 
It most certainly did.

On 16th May 2010 at the iconic Kensington Oval, ‘Captain Fantastic’ himself Paul Collingwood flicked Shane Watson through mid-wicket for four runs to take England to their first and, to date, only ICC T20 World Cup trophy.

So, with all of this insight in mind, we find ourselves coming back to the original question at hand; what does it take to win a T20 World Cup?
Well in truth, it’s a perfect storm of factors that ultimately shape the winner of tournaments like these.

Proper execution of batting and bowling gameplans, strong leadership from captains and keeping a level head during moments of intense pressure is absolutely vital but having gained a great deal of insight from a former T20 World Cup winner, it seems as though it’s also extremely important to create a team dynamic which keeps the side in the best frame of mind for the duration of the tournament.

In a format as unpredictable as T20 cricket, you can never truly prepare 100% for the situations that may present themselves over the course of a game, the 2016 T20 World Cup Final is a testament to this, but with the right combination of well-implemented strategy, courageous batting and bowling approaches and a suitable team environment from which the players can thrive off as the tournament progresses, any of the 18 sides could potentially seal their place in the cricketing history books come the 14th November in Dubai. 

Q&A: Cricket Journalists' views on T20 World Cup

By Keanan Hemmonsbey

The Proteas start their T20 World Cup campaign on Tuesday 26 October against the West Indies at the Dubai International Stadium. 

We spoke to cricket journalists in the industry to find what they expect from the Proteas in this world cup and how they would like to see them line-up.

Mpho Mutloane (1WSR)

How do you think the Proteas should set-up for the World Cup regarding the playing 11 and balance of the team?Ideally I would like 5 batsmen 3 all-rounders and 3 bowlers but with our all rounders struggling with the bat I think a 6th batsman 1 all-rounder and 4 bowlers largely because our bowlers have shown to be able to deny opposition boundaries in the death overs.

What style of play do you want to see the Proteas adapting during the World Cup, that you think will provide them with the most success?

I’d like to see some aggression in the powerplay and aim for a boundary an over in the middle overs. From a bowling perspective, our spinners need to control the middle overs for us to win. South Africa will go far in this tournament based on how well the bowlers manage the middle overs.

Which section of our playing 11 are you most excited about?

Most Excited about our spinners and what they can do.

Which section of our playing 11 are you most worried about?

Most worried about our batting as to whether they can give us a great foundation to score big runs.

Is there anyone you believe is unlucky to have missed out on selection that could've added something the Proteas current squad is missing?

I think George Linde was unlucky to not be in the final 15 as the squad could use his batting and he would have helped the balance [of the team] better.

If you're brave enough, what's your ideal playing 11 for the first match?

1)De Kock 2) Bavuma 3) Markram 4) Van der Dussen 5) Miller 6) Klaasen 7) Pretorius 8) Maharaj 9) Rabada 10) Shamsi 11) Nortje. 

What do you think would constitute a successful world cup campaign for the Proteas?

The Proteas must win their first 2 games against Australia and West Indies to give them a foot in the door for the semis. Those games will be won with the ball for SA and I hope they are fully prepared to take on both teams as they can beat both Australia. The bowlers will have to carry this team to the Semi-Finals

Zaahier Adams (IOL)

How do you think the Proteas should line up on the UAE pitches?

I think the conditions are going to determine that. We saw in the IPL how slow the surfaces were. We saw that obviously, spin will play a role. That’s gonna determine how they shape up. We saw in Sri Lanka they were quite keen to go with three spinners and that was quite refreshing to see that. They’ve got three specialist spinners and a 4th in the part-time of Aiden Markram. Depending on the conditions, it will be favourable if they go that way and they have shown that they are willing to do that.

Do you think the Proteas can emulate England’s successful white-ball style of play?

It’s a building process. The same way they approach their bowling it’s gonna be dependent on the conditions. I don’t think naturally that side [The Proteas] is suited to play like England. England are the benchmark in the way they play because they’ve got the players that are capable of doing that. I don’t think that side [South Africa] is set up to play like that. South Africa doesn’t have the all-rounders that they can bat 8, 9, 10 and just keep going from the outset.

What style of play do you think the Proteas are going to deploy?

They’re gonna wanna be aggressive, they’re going to want to take on the powerplay particularly. They’re going to be a side that’s probably going to shape up and try and restrict teams to 140-160. That’s going to be how they’re going to look to restrict teams. And if they bowl second and then just pile on the pressure with the ball. 

How do you think the Proteas should balance their team?

You look at the wicket in the morning, do you go with three spinners? Do you go with the extra seaming all-rounder? Is Temba Bavuma going to be fit? It’s not a straightforward question. I think it’s going to be very much condition dependant.

Tinus van Staden (Netwerk 24)

How do you think the Proteas line-up for the world cup?

I think the biggest question will be how are they going to squeeze four openers – Reeza Hendricks, Temba Bavuma, Quinton De Kock and Aiden Markram – into the top three? Or will they use those four batsmen as the top four then you open with Temba and Quinton? I think that’s the way they’ll open then maybe bat Reeza at 3, Aiden at 4. Rassie van der Dussen at 5 and David Miller at 6, I think that’s the one option. Then you have Dwaine Pretorius at 7 you also still have Wiaan Mulder that you can use, then you run into the bowlers. I think they will play Keshav Maharaj at 8 then Kagiso Rabada at 9 then probably they have to pick between Lungi and Anrich Nortje at 10 and then Tabraiz Shamsi at 11.

How do you think the Proteas should balance their team throughout the tournament?

I think it’s going to be interesting if they decide in a few games to go with three spinners and a fourth spinning option in Aiden Markram if they pick Maharaj, Shamsi and Bjorn Fortuin together. It’s going to be interesting to see if they leave one of the four aforementioned openers out and they go Temba, Quinton, Aiden, Rassie, Miller and then maybe go Dwaine Pretorius at 6 and then they can choose between Wiaan Mulder and Bjorn Fortuin at 7. Then you have a bit of a long tale which is also one of the big concerns I have.

Do you think anyone was unlucky to miss out on the Proteas world cup squad?

If the combination was correct they would have been a bit better off with George Linde there because he can easily bat at 7 and he can give you four very very good overs.

Do you think the Proteas lower-order batters will be able to accelerate on the UAE pitches?

It’s going to be interesting to see how they adapt. Are they going to go with two all-rounders regularly in Mulder and Preterious? or will they trust Keshav Maharaj, Bjorn Fortuin and Kagiso Rabada to bat at 7, 8, 9 ?  That will be interesting.

Do you think the Proteas playing style is conducive to a successful world cup campaign?

I think they actually did quite well, winning their last three T20 series so they’ll be full of confidence, they’ll believe that they have a good game plan, a good playing style.

Do you have any concerns about the Proteas squad?

My biggest concern is the batting and bowling in the death overs. They need to keep accelerating in the death with the bat, that’s something they struggled a bit with, especially against the West Indies.

They also did well in that facet a few times when they managed to keep wickets in hand. They don’t really have, except for David Miller, an out-and-out finisher. And then also with the ball, they need to be very very good at the death. I think it will be up to Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje and when Lungi Ngidi plays to keep the runs down. 

Firdose Moonda (ESPNCricinfo)

How do you think the Proteas should set-up for the world cup regarding the playing 11 and balance of the team?

The challenge for them is how to position the batters after the top three, with Rassie van der Dussen at No.4 and David Miller at No.5, there is the risk of the innings slowing down too soon and Miller not getting enough time in the middle. An option is to leave van der Dussen out, bat Miller higher, have Heinrich Klaasen in at No.6 and the seam-bowling allrounder at No.7 which allows enough room for two specialist spinners and two quick.

What style of play do you want to see the Proteas adapting during the world cup, that you think will provide them with the most success?

As was the case in Sri Lanka, South Africa has to be open to the idea that they could play all three specialist spinners if conditions call for it. Flexibility in the batting approach will also be key. 

Which section of our playing 11 are you most excited about?

The opening partnership. Whether it's Quinton de Kock and Temba Bavuma or Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks, South Africa's firepower is going to come from this combination in the Powerplay. If Bavuma is fully fit, this is a big opportunity for him to establish himself as an undisputed leader at this level. 

Which section of our playing 11 are you most worried about?

Death-bowling. South Africa don't seem to designate this responsibility to anyone yet and none of Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi or Anrich Nortje have good recent records in this department.

Dan Weston: Taking a closer look at the numbers

Dan Weston didn't have much talent in cricket, but has always been numbers inclined.

So after years of working as an accountant, he became a professional gambler, before he decided to have a look at cricket using numbers.
Now he is a recruitment specialist and helps teams with strategy.

Dan currently works with Birmingham Phoenix and Leicestershire CCC.