Five SA A players to keep an eye on in Sri Lanka

IN WHAT is arguably the most exciting South Africa A squad in a long time, Independent Media’s Ongama Gcwabe lists five players to keep an eye on as the squad heads over to Sri Lanka for a five-match tour.

Shukri Conrad and his management team have assembled an exciting group of players in the SA A squad that left for Sri Lanka yesterday.

The tour will see the next crop of talent get a taste of international cricket and provide an opportunity for a few Proteas players to breathe life into their international careers.

Matthew Breetzke

The youngster has finally turned the corner in his young career, particularly in red-ball cricket and has been selected to be part of the squad for the first time.

Breetzke finished the four-day competition as leading run-scorer with some big centuries to his name, including one against a strong Lions bowling attack that included Kagiso Rabada and Lutho Sipamla in tough conditions at the Wanderers earlier this year.

Having started his career as an opener across all formats, Breetzke made the difficult transition to being a middle-order batter look easy in the past two seasons and is likely to feature in all five fixtures because of his versatility.

With 727 runs at an average of 61, including three centuries and four fifties this past season, Breetzke is certainly one player who the world could see in the Proteas

Test squad sooner rather than later.

Kyle Verreyenne

Dropped from the Test squad despite being the most successful batter against Australia earlier this year, Verreyenne has a point to prove.

When Conrad took over as coach of the Test team, he went public and told the media he felt Heinrich Klaasen, who was behind Verreynne in the pecking order before Conrad took over, had done more domestically than Verreynne.

This tour will provide the best opportunity for Verreynne to prove to the coach that he is more than ready to slot back into the Test squad that will host India next summer.

The wicketkeeper-batter accumulated more than 500 runs in the four-day series last season, including a big 201 not out at Newlands.

Beyers Swanepoel

Arguably the most talented cricketer in domestic cricket, Swanepoel was one of the standout players last season.

He finished as the leading wicket-taker with 33 scalps at an average of 16 runs.

Many liken the right-arm seam bowler to Vernon Philander because of his incredible control with ball in hand.

His accuracy, ability to swing and seam the ball in almost any conditions make him a thre at to opening batters. With bat in hand, Swanepoel has the ingredients to become a proper contender for the all-rounder spot in the Test squad in the near future.

But his bowling skills alone could be enough to convince Conrad that he is ready for Test cricket, especially given that India are set to play two Tests in SA come December.

Zubayr Hamza

It has been a uniquely difficult journey for the talented Hamza since making his Test debut as successor to the great Hashim Amla a few years ago.

The nine-month doping ban that he was handed by the ICC in February last year made things tricky for Hamza and this happened right after he forced his way back into the Test squad after being dropped after the 2019-20 series defeat to England.

But history tells us that there are some individuals who find a deeper purpose and understanding of themselves in trying circumstances.

Hamza demonstrated the very same quality when he returned to play for Western Province late last year with a brilliant hundred at The Bullring in a four-day series fixture against the Lions.

If there is any player determined to rewind the clock, it is Hamza.

In just one Test series, Conrad has shown that no player is safe in the Test squad by dropping senior players Rassie van der Dussen and Lungi Ngidi.

Hamza will know very well that the ball is in his court to build on his resume for a shot at Test cricket again.

Jordan Herman

Only a few cricketers, perhaps only Rabada and Quinton de Kock in recent times, had as blistering start to their professional careers as the young Herman has had.

The young opening batter is known for his fearless approach and picturesque stroke-play.

In his first full season at the top of domestic cricket, Herman has proven to be one for the future and arguably next in line for the opening spot in the Test team should Dean Elgar retire or get injured.

Herman finished second in the leading run-scorers list with 618 runs at an average of 62 and a highest score of 187 not out.

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