Heinrich’s Mumbai master Klaas
Heinrich Klaasen collapsed by the side of the pitch at the Wankhede Stadium yesterday, drenched. He needed to blink his eyes furiously, just to keep the sweat out and he badly needed an ice-cold drink.
The Proteas’ physiotherapist Sizwe Hadebe raced onto the field carrying a jug with lots of ice in it. The sweat dripped into the cup as Klaasen consumed the contents. Then he stood up and faced England’s Mark Wood.
He thumped the third ball of that over for six over long-on. He touched gloves with batting partner Marco Jansen and, on 96, then got set to face the next delivery. Staring through the sweat, Wood’s leg stump full toss was just the kind of friendly offering Klaasen would have desired. With the perspiration stinging his eyes, he swatted the ball to the deep backward square leg boundary for four.
From somewhere within him, adrenalin created delirium and he roared his delight at registering a fourth ODI century one that he admitted afterwards was one of the best innings of his career.
It was a performance of immense courage, concentration, skill and initially patience.
“It was proper heat out there and it saps all the energy out of you,” Klaasen said afterwards. “Quinny (Quinton de Kock) came in after his innings and told us not to run the singles too hard, and to save our energy, because the heat was extreme.”
It’s worth recalling the situation in which Klaasen found himself when David Miller was dismissed in the 37th over.
The Proteas were in danger of wasting a perfect foundation provided by a 121-run second wicket partnership between Reeza Hendricks (85 off 75 balls), a late replacement for skipper Temba Bavuma who was ill, and Rassie van der Dussen (60 off 61).
Klaasen had shared a partnership of 69 for the fourth wicket with Aiden Markram, South Africa’s captain yesterday, but then he and Miller were dismissed within nine balls of each other for the addition of only 10 runs.
Jansen remains a batter still new to the international game, and the feeling before the World Cup was that batting him at No 7 was one spot too high.
But Jansen has made it clear he loves batting more than bowling, and yesterday he had to play more responsibly at least for a few overs.
Klaasen had a lengthy conversation with Jansen when he arrived at the crease, no doubt reminding him they needed to bat until at least the 45th over. But then, the oppressive conditions high temperatures mixed with brutal humidity were also taking their toll on the English.
In hindsight, England captain Jos Buttler will look back with regret at his decision to field first. The heat and humidity left players desperately seeking liquid refreshment, while the likes of David Willey and Joe Root suffered cramps, and Adil Rashid battling with his breathing.
Seeing them struggle changed Klaasen’s plan about when he would open his shoulders, for in the 42nd over he flayed a pair of fours off Reece Topley that lit the touch paper on what turned into a ridiculous assault in the final 10 overs.
South Africa plundered 143 runs, posting 399/7, and Jansen, having followed his partner’s example, suddenly turned into AB de Villiers. He lashed his way to an unbeaten 75 off 42 balls, that included three fours and half a dozen sixes. “He was next level,” Klaasen said of Jansen.
Klaasen was eventually out in the last over, for 109, a scarcely believable innings, given the circumstances that came off only 67 balls and saw him hit 12 fours and four sixes. The partnership with Jansen was worth 151 off only 77 balls, and although South Africa missed out on topping 400 for the second time in the competition, the mental lift they received and the deflated feeling for the English, who were also physically spent, was significant.
With the ball, the Proteas could do no wrong. England lost four wickets inside the first 10 overs, with Jansen, who took two of those, again magnificent in what is still his primary job although that is rapidly changing as he has grown more comfortable in the all-rounder role.
This 229-run victory was crucial in restoring South Africa’s confidence, given what had happened in Dharamsala against the Dutch last Tuesday. As his teammates completed the job in the field, Klaasen, understandably in need of a break, sat watching from the air-conditioned change-room.
He had his feet up and was draped in towels looking for all the world like a Roman emperor awaiting his servants. An ice cold drink was the least that he deserved.