Former Proteas fast bowler Dale Steyn described is as “weird” and “strange” that fast bowler Ottneil Baartman did not make the ICC T20 World Cup squad, despite being the leading wicket-taker in the SA20.
Baartman was a key player for South Africa in the previous edition of the ICC T20 World Cup, as he bowled a total of 19 overs in the five games he played, meaning it was only in one game that he didn’t go through his allotted four overs in a match.
The right-arm quick returned an economy rate of 4.94 runs per over, an almost unheard of rate in the shortest format of the game.
In the SA20, he is one of two bowlers that have crossed the 50 wickets mark, alongside Marco Jansen who has been included in the Proteas squad headed for the tournament in India next month.
In the recently concluded bilateral series in India, Baartman finished third on the top wicket-takers list, behind only Lungi Ngidi and Varun Chakravarthy, and ahead of Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh.
Former Proteas fast bowler, Dale Steyn, was commentating during South Africa’s tour of India and watched the series from the commentary box.
Moreover, as bowling coach of the Sunrisers Eastern Cape for the opening three overs, Steyn had the front row seat to watch Baartman operate in his previous team and gauge the quality of the man.
“Ottneil Baartman has been amazing throughout all four seasons. I know we’re not even halfway through this season, but all four seasons he’s been just phenomenal. I’m a little bit upset that he didn’t get the nod to go to the World Cup,” Steyn told.
“I think when you’re playing in this SA20 tournament, it’s not like domestic cricket. You are playing against four internationals very often, it’s two or three international batters, as well as all the Proteas batters. For him to be the leading wicket-taker in this competition tells you that he’s not getting Mickey Mouse batters out.
“He’s getting the best in the world out. He’s leading the pack, and yet for some weird reason we’ve decided not to take him. That’s a bit strange.”
Steyn was a part of the Proteas squad the last time India hosted the T20 World Cup back in 2016. He has also played in the Indian Premier League for many years, a feat that has given him an acute understanding of the conditions in India.
The 42-year-old reckons that this time of the year, the wickets in India will be good for the quicks, meaning the six quicks that have been selected to represent South Africa in India next month will most likely enjoy the conditions.
“When you’re playing in India, surprisingly, the pitches can sometimes be pretty good to bat on and to bowl on. They’re not spinning that much, especially this time of the year,” Steyn said.
“South Africa just had a tour there now where it was winter, beginning of winter, and then we’ll drift into the closing part of winter and it will start to get warm. Those pitches won’t be as worn out as, say, in the IPL. Very often what happens in the IPL or the start of the season is that the pitches are quite fresh and they’re very good.They play nicely.
“Then as the IPL progresses and as the season progresses, they become slower and a little bit more spin-dominated. Unless somebody doctors a pitch to make it really slow and they don’t wet it and water it and everything, then it can sometimes become a bit of a dust bowl.
“If you bowl well and you bowl your quicks well and you hit your lengths really hard and you’ve got good plans, you can force batters to make mistakes and try and come into your area and try and make a play.
“Whereas, when the pitches are a little bit ragged and really good for spin, then you’d be forced to bowl a lot of fast cutters and that kind of thing.”
Steyn emphasised that the Proteas quicks would have to use the new ball well and look to strike early.
“I think they just have to adapt to the conditions and listen to the guys that have been there before, KG, Anrich Nortje, Marco Jansson. They’ve played a lot of IPL, so they know how to use those conditions,” he said.
“I would also suggest that they use that new ball really well, try and get it to swing, try and pick up a couple of wickets.
“You look at the likes of Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah for India. They really make that new ball talk. If South Africa are able to do that, you can try and make some inroads early in the first six.
“There’s a big chance that if you pick up three or four wickets inside the first six overs, you win a lot of games like that. I’d look to attack and look to try and strike with that new ball and really make it count.”
Fans can watch the Betway SA20 on SuperSport with select games available to DStv Access subscribers.
