Talismanic Malan rewarded as Cobras reveal powerful squad
THAT tally was just impossible to ignore. The sheer weight of 1 069 runs at an average of 118.77 opened the door and now Pieter Malan is a fully-contracted Cape Cobras player, almost 10 years after this former South African Under-19 player appeared in his maiden first-class game at age 17.
Malan was a talismanic figure in the Western Province cricket team last season.
His excellence made him an almost automatic selection at the top of the order alongside Andrew Puttick, Simon Khomari and Richard Levi as primary candidates to open the innings.
“When I was younger, I possibly did not appreciate my contract for what it was and did not value it enough. One thing I learned when I moved to the Cape, was to play the ball as late as possible,” Malan exclaimed.
“I also became more selective, and did not express my attacking game in certain areas until later in the innings.
“But I also did not allow bowlers just to operate without pressure. Whether it was the first ball or the hundredth, if it was bowled in a certain area, it had to go (to the boundary).
“I think the past three years has been so good for my character. It forced me to work enormously hard to get into the Cape Cobras squad.”
The new Cobras squad boasts a powerful top seven.
The collective wisdom and batting acumen of Puttick, Justin Ontong, Stiaan van Zyl and the returning Qaasim Adams (from the Titans) could be a vital factor in assisting the Cobras to score 10 Sunfoil Series tons next season, as was regularly the case in the mid-summer of their domestic dominance.
The quartet can assist the young guns like Jason Smith, Kyle Verreynne, Zubayr Hamza and Dayyaan Galiem to evolve smartly.
Lizaad Williams’ performances underline the view of many astute observers that the former SA U19 bowler is coming of age and ready to take the next step up.
The Cobras will be assisted by the experience and enormous knowledge of Rory Kleinveldt, who will serve as bowling consultant and still perform on a pay-for-play basis.
The semi-professional bowlers might just ask persistent questions and force a selection rethink if the frontline bowlers don’t hit their straps consistently.
Mthiwekhaya Nabe is a forceful, probing fast bowler. Michael Cohen is an 18-yearold swing bowler who produced match figures of 6/49 in his first first-class match, while Mpilo Njoloza can swing it at pace and took a hat-trick in his maiden franchise outing.
Leg-spinner Junaid Dawood has captured 13 wickets in one first-class game against Namibia and will be a welcome addition to the semi-professional ranks.