Unusual suspects can play themselves back into contention

Forget the frivolity of the format.

Nevermind the non-entities of the opposition.

South Africa’s T20 series against Bangladesh starts in Bloemfontein today‚ and if you’re going to pay it any attention it’s the unusual suspects you want to watch.

Players like Robbie Frylinck‚ who 10 years ago was up the creek without a franchise contract.

Now‚ at 33 and looking more like a bouncer than a bowler or a batsman‚ he could make his international debut.

And left-arm fast bowler Beuran Hendricks‚ who was all set to play in a one-day series against Zimbabwe before suffering a stress fracture of the back in September 2014.

He had‚ at that stage‚ five T20 caps for South Africa and has not added to them. Or Hashim Amla. Yes‚ that Hashim Amla – who has played more than twice as many Tests and almost four times as many ODIs as he has T20 internationals.

Might we see more of the hitherto unseen aggression he has brought to his batting in the Tests and ODIs against the Bangladeshis?

But Frylinck is the major drawcard‚ unlikely as that might seem considering the squad also features luminaries like AB de Villiers and Quinton de Kock.

“The key for [Frylinck] is to execute his skills under this kind of pressure‚” South Africa’s captain‚ JP Duminy‚ said in Bloemfontein yesterday.

“This is the platform where we all get tested. This is the highest platform‚ where you always want to play‚ and if you can test your skills here and come out on top‚ this is the place you want to play.”

Had Frylinck given up on the dream of playing for South Africa?

“You get to a stage where you say to yourself‚ ‘ Maybe it’s not meant to be and it’s not going to happen’‚” said Frylinck.

From his List A debut for KwaZulu-Natal in October 2004‚ Frylinck has played 342 matches of all descriptions.

And for teams of all descriptions‚ among them the Dolphins‚ the Lions‚ Surrey – their first and second XIs – the Trinbago Knight Riders of the Caribbean Premier League‚ four clubs in England‚ and another in the Netherlands.

Frylinck has pulled on a South Africa shirt before‚ but in the gimmicky Hong Kong Sixes in October 2012 and Africa Sixes Challenge in September 2014.

He went to the 2011 Indian Premier League for Delhi Daredevils but did not play a single match‚ and he was signed by the Pretoria Mavericks of the T20 Global League.

In January last year, Frylinck was slapped with a suspension‚ which was subsequently lifted‚ after an alleged physical altercation with a Dolphins teammate.

Nine months later his haul of 14/62 for the Dolphins against the Lions in Potchefstroom became the best figures recorded in a firstclass match in South Africa.

Stephen Cook and Wiaan Mulder were among his victims and he bettered the performances of bigger names like Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada‚ who have also claimed 14 wickets in a game.

What of Bangladesh‚ who haven’t looked like winning any of the five games they have played on tour?

“If they play good shots‚ they play good shots. If they play bad ones‚ we get wickets.”

How about conditions harbours the biggest outfield in the country?

“With altitude it doesn’t matter how big the boundaries are; the ball still travels.”

— DDC in Bloem‚ which