Latest news with #ProteasTest
IOL News
14-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Rassie van der Dussen expects Lhuan-dre Pretorius to use his 'good cricket brain' to adapt to T20
Lhuan-dre Pretorius will be hoping to transfer his Proteas Test form to the upcoming T2OI Tri-Series in Harare. Picture: AFP Image: AFP WHEN Proteas stand-in skipper Rassie van der Dussen made his first-class debut back in 2008 a couple of his teammates for the upcoming T20I Tri-Series in Harare were still in diapers. But teenagers Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Kwena Maphaka, who were both just two years old, now form the core of a whole new generation of talented South African cricketers that are being mass produced in the SA20 factory. Allrounders Andile Simelane and Dewald Brevis plus leg-spinner Nqaba Peter complete a dynamic group that have all been unearthed in South Africa's premier domestic T20 competition. Van der Dussen is certainly excited to be leading this group of young players in the Tri-Series, which kicks off against Zimbabwe in Harare on Monday. 'It's really exciting. We've got four debutants, they're guys who have put in performances over the last 12 to 18 months,' Van der Dussen said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading 'A guy like Luan-dre has banged the door down. Even a guy like Dewalf Brevis. He's played two (T20I's) already, but he's had a great six months. First in SA20, then in IPL. And it just speaks of our depth. 'We've got Nqaba Peter and a few youngsters actually coming in. Andile Similani is really exciting. Kwena Maphaka, obviously. He'll be raring to go, having had a disappointing Test in Bulawayo. He'll definitely come out with something to prove. 'And that's exciting. You want guys pushing, you want as many players as possible pushing for spots in the team, not only in the team, but going forward in the long run as well. 'So that's where our team's at the moment. I'm really looking forward to those next two weeks.' All eyes will be on Pretorius though. The powerful left-hander has made an immediate impression in every format of the game he's played thus far. From striking 97 on his SA20 debut for the Paarl Royals through to his magnificent 153 on Test bow a fortnight ago, the 19-year-old has shot the lights out. New threads. Same pride. Same mission. 🔥🧵🤩 The Proteas men are ready to take on whatever comes next. 🇿🇦🏏#WozaNawe — Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) July 13, 2025 'He's a great kid with a really good head on his shoulders,' Van der Dussen said. 'He's a guy who has the power game, obviously, and he combines that with talent and some flair. But he's got a really good cricketing brain as well, so it's not often that you see all those attributes together. 'That's why he could get into Test cricket and adapt straight away. He's obviously made his mark more in T20 cricket and SA20 and so forth and been to the IPL. 'But he has really good first-class stats as well, and that shows you the guy has the game and the mind to adapt to any format, and that's what you're looking for.' SQUADS FOR THE T20I TRI-SERIES OPENER AT HARARE SPORTS CLUB Proteas: Rassie van der Dussen (captain), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Reeza Hendricks, Rubin Hermann, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Nqabayomzi Peter, Lhuan-dré Pretorius, Andile Simelane. Zimbabwe: Sikandar Raza (captain), Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Trevor Gwandu, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Tinotenda Maposa, Wellington Masakadza, Vincent Masekesa, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Newman Nyamhuri and Tafadzwa Tsiga. Start: 1pm
IOL News
05-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Proteas Test debut a happy moment for Dolphins spinner Prenelan Subrayen
"With his achievements over the years, I think he's not only a role model, but a friend off the field as well." "Receiving my cap from Keshav is a cherry on top kind of thing. Keshav and I have been friends for a very long time, as well as playing for the Dolphins for a very long time," Subrayen told the media on the eve of the second Test. Subrayen received his Test baggy green cap from Maharaj himself, a fitting moment given that the two had played together at the Dolphins since starting their journey. The off-spinner will make his debut after having played over 70 First-Class matches, returning 242 wickets and 12 five-wicket hauls at an average of 27.94. Subrayen comes into the playing side, replacing the injured Keshav Maharaj. The 31-year-old has earned the opportunity having been a consistent performer for the Dolphins in the Four-Day competition for many years. Dolphins off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen is set to don the Proteas Test baggy green for the first time in the second Test between South Africa and Zimbabwe at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Sunday. 🔥 TEAM NEWS 🔥 Wiaan Mulder will lead the Proteas Men as captain in the second and final Test match of the Zimbabwean series. 🧢🇿🇦 A proud moment as Prenelan Subrayen and Lesego Senokwane are set to make their Test debuts. 🏏✨ A fresh chapter in South African cricket as our… Subrayen described the moment as a happy moment for himself and his family. "Definitely a very happy moment for me. It was both my parents ... I think it was a dream of theirs to finally see me play for South Africa, and they are really ecstatic. My dad's a Level 3 coach. But I think the role that they played, as well as both my sisters, has been massive for me, right from the junior levels right till now," said Subrayen. "It's been a case of no pressure being put on me and just being allowed to express myself on and off the field. It's a great feeling. It's a lot of hard work that has been put in behind the scenes as well as on the field. " I think it's just been family. The bond between family and the close-knit between me and my family has definitely been the main driving force for me. You go through different phases in your domestic career, and I think I've been through most of them, the ups and downs." Subrayen is a newbie in the Test environment, but feels welcome in the squad as he has experience being coached by Shukri Conrad. "I'm kind of new to the change room. I was fortunate enough to work with Shuks in one of my National Academy years, so he kind of knows me pretty decently as a person on and off the field," said Subrayen. "I think he managed one of our football teams as well when I was in National Academy, so he kind of knows me off the field as well. "He kind of knows my character, so that definitely made it easy for me to fit in, as well as a lot of the guys within the set-up playing against them over the years and playing in the same team as most of them. It definitely made it easy to fit in." The second Test is set to get underway on Sunday in Bulawayo.
TimesLIVE
30-06-2025
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Mulder praises the perseverance of Yusuf after Proteas debutant takes three wickets
It took one of his schoolmates to hit him out of the nets at training for Codi Yusuf to switch from bowling spin, to bowling fast. 'I went to fetch the ball, ran in and I hit the guy and told everyone I'm not going to bowl another spin ball from this day onwards,' Yusuf said before making his Proteas Test debut against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. On Sunday, on a pitch offering some assistance to the seamers, but one when batters, once set, thrive, the 27 year old claimed 3/42, helping to bowl out Zimbabwe for 251, to give the Proteas a 167-run first innings lead. It wasn't just the wickets, however. Yusuf bowled with nagging accuracy, extracting bounce from one portion of the pitch that even had Sean Williams, who made 137, jumping around. 'I've played with Codi at the Lions, he's been an inspiration for us,' said Wiaan Mulder, who handed Yusuf his Test cap at a ceremony before the match. 'He bowls like that every single week. He's exceptional, he's got the biggest heart, he never gives up. What you saw today is just a glimpse of what we see at the Lions.' Yusuf is not the quickest bowler on the domestic circuit. But in the last three seasons he's made incremental improvements that has seen him become one of the most reliable bowlers in provincial cricket. He tends to skid the ball off the surface and his bouncer can be tricky to read, although he doesn't use it often. What he has done is simplify his game, targeting the stumps and if there is any assistance out of the surface — like with that patch on a back of a full length in Bulawayo — he is able to exploit it. 'I'm happy for him because he's one of those guys, the way he approaches the game is not through shouting or abusing people, or too much aggression and all that kind of fluff, he does it week in and week out, all heart and gives it everything he has,' said Mulder. Yusuf grew up west of Johannesburg, but had to wait his turn as the Lions sifted through a variety of quicks, before he got his chance. 'I play the game hard, with my heart and with the goal in mind of playing for the Proteas, my performances were never based on playing for the Proteas, but I felt that if I give my best things would happen naturally,' he said. Yusuf is the ultimate team player, whose versatility in the last couple of seasons has proven to be a weapon for the Lions. He's equally capable of bowling a seven over spell to 'dry up' en end as he is a short burst attacking the batter. For someone who doesn't engage in sledging it was strange when he did just that in an intriguing mini battle with Lhuan-dre Pretorius in last season's Four-Day final between the Lions and the Titans at the Wanderers. Pretorius ultimately emerged victorious making a hundred that secured a draw, but was respectful of a bowler, with whom he shared a dressing room during the SA20 for Paarl Royals. 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫-𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐥 👏👏 Wiaan Mulder was a man on a mission on day two in Bulawayo 🇿🇦🔥 #ZIMvSA #SSCricket — SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) June 30, 2025 Both are making their debuts in Bulawayo and have had an impact on a match that the Proteas were dominating at the end of day two. Pretorius's 153 in the first innings, changed the course of the opening day, while Yusuf's three wickets helped to strengthen their advantage on the second day. Perhaps Yusuf's recent stint at Durham, helped him to find his rhythm quicker than his fellow new ball bowler Kwena Maphaka. The 19 year old left-arm quick, struggled in the first innings, offering the Zimbabweans too many freebies, conceding 52 runs in 12 overs. But Maphaka's threat was illustrated by two nasty bouncers, which clattered into the heads of Brian Bennett — ending his participation in the match because of concussion — and Williams, who was clearly shaken up for a few moments. 'He's learning, quite quickly,' said Mulder. 'The challenge for Kwena, is how he takes the balls in between the good ones and to keep going with a couple of dots, or just concede a run. International cricket is difficult and if you're not able to land it in an area that hits the top of the stumps, especially when the ball is not moving, guys are going to keep scoring.' 'He's still wet behind the ears. When you face him in the nets, the balls are super fast, always moving, he hit two guys in the something special about him,' said Mulder.
The Citizen
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Dewald Brevis makes emotional return to international cricket: ‘It's special'
'I had my smile on because I feel that is important and that's how I want to play cricket – smile and enjoy it.' Dewald Brevis says it was 'very special' to receive his Proteas Test cap after being left out of the international setup for a couple of years. Picture: Isuru Sameera/Gallo Images Dewald Brevis described his return to international cricket as an emotional experience, made even more special by the fact that it comes in the 'pinnacle format' of the game. He is set to bat at number six for the Proteas in their opening Test against Zimbabwe on Saturday. The 22-year-old batting all-rounder burst onto the scene in 2022 when he broke the record for the most runs scored at an U19 Cricket World Cup, and was named player of the tournament. In the same year, he smashed an incredible 162 off 57 balls for the Titans against the Knights, which was the fastest T20 150 in history after he reached the mark off just 52 balls. With a flamboyant and aggressive batting style, he was nicknamed 'Baby AB' after the Proteas legend AB de Villiers. However, he failed to shine in the IPL and in the senior team in the following years and was dropped from the Proteas after only two T20s, the last played in September 2023. Brevis makes an emphatic return The youngster has since made a return in domestic cricket, finishing sixth in this year's SA20 batting rankings, scoring 291 runs at an average of 48.50 and a strike rate of 184. He was also exceptional in the field, overall helping MI Cape Town clinch a first SA20 title and being named the competition's rising star in the process. In the longer format, he was the second-leading run-scorer in the 4-day series, with 573 runs in 12 innings, including two hundreds and two fifties, averaging 47.75. '[Proteas captain Keshav Maharaj] knows my journey over the last few years. The words he had when he gave my cap, there was a bit of emotion going on inside me,' Brevis admitted. 'But I had my smile on because I feel that is important and that's how I want to play cricket – smile and enjoy it. 'He just mentioned [that] he knew my last few years, especially when I got my debut in T20 cricket, that moment being there and then left out for a few years. That was quite tough, but I was young as well. 'I am quite grateful for how I handled that and the people I had around me. Because it made me much more hungry for the game and to perform.' He said he had worked on what he needed to, to now reach an international level. Brevis said he had spent much time looking at his Test cap, appreciating what it meant. 'For me it's the pinnacle format. You can play all the leagues, you can play T20, 50-over cricket, but there is something about Test cricket. And to be able to do that for South Africa, to represent South Africa out there, it's special.'
Hindustan Times
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Dale Steyn can't hold back tears, picks his SA cap, then goes quiet after South Africa win WTC: 'Life will go on but…'
It's not easy to describe how much the World Test Championship win would have meant for South Africa, in particular the generations of all-time-great cricketers who had come through the ranks and gone through such long spells of disappointment and heartbreak. To watch Kyle Verreynne crash a shot through covers and confirm that the ICC Test Mace would be going back home to the Rainbow Nation was to ease the pain of decades of hurt, achieving a dream held and not realised by so many. One such man was Dale Steyn, a legendary fast bowler and one of the best of all time, who never quite got close to lifting an ICC trophy. Steyn, on media duties for Star Sports, was overcome by pure emotion in the wake of those winning runs, rendered nearly speechless by what it meant to watch his country finally get over that hurdle. In a video shared by the Star Sports social media handles, Steyn can be seen struggling to form words and fight back tears, before falling silent for an extended period as the realisation of the moment truly dawned on him. 'What do you do, what do you say? It's incredible, I'm sitting at home, I've got my cap here, I'm extremely proud. I mean, what do you do? I'll take my son for a walk and life will carry on,' said the fast bowler, lifting up his Proteas Test cap, before falling silent and welling up with emotion following the moment. It is evident how poignant a moment this is considered in South African cricket history. Steyn wasn't the only South African to feel the brunt of the moment, with Keshav Maharaj also fighting through tears of his own to speak to former captain Graeme Smith about how much it means to the country to get over the line after years of heartbreak, and repeatedly falling short of the ultimate glory. Also Read: Keshav Maharaj sobs uncontrollably; Temba Bavuma covers his face to hide tears At the end, it was Aiden Markram the hero with one of South Africa's most famous Test centuries, assisted by Kagiso Rabada's 9-fer, a man who is considered to be Dale Steyn's successor in South Africa's long list of fast bowling greats.
