Dala finds form keeping it simple
IN THE MOMENT: NOW JUST FOCUSES ON THE PROCESS
ast bowler Junior Dala has been building into this season and has now exploded into red-hot form, spearheading the Titans’ march into the Momentum One-Day Cup semifinals, and he says keeping it simple and staying patient have been the keys to his success.
Dala has managed to annex 16 wickets in the eight matches so far and is the competition’s leading wicket-taker, a far cry from his miserable start to the season, claiming four wickets in two matches at an average of 66.50 in the four-day tournament.
But the 29-year-old says some excellent man-management from coach Mark Boucher has been behind his tremendous return to form, with excellent fielding and an extraordinary match-winning innings with the bat merely being extensions of the work he has put in off the field.
“When I came back from Sri Lanka with the Proteas last August I had a few niggles and I didn’t really have time to get stronger.
“In the MSL [Mzansi Super League], I bowled the best I have for a long time but then I got injured again.
“When Mark saw we weren’t going to win the four-day competition, he said I should rather go away and get as strong as possible, ‘because we’ll need you in the white-ball stuff’.
“It was a great call by the coach... I’m bowling with control and playing my role, which will always be attacking,” he told
Dala’s unorthodox action, reminiscent of Mike Procter bowling off the wrong foot, means he does take time to get back to full rhythm after a break.
“I just have to be smarter when I do come back,” he said. “After playing for the Proteas in the T20s against Pakistan, my confidence was low and I went to gym and bowled twice a day. But the harder I tried, the worse I seemed to get.
“Then Mark said to me that I was forgetting to back myself, so I had a break from the game, took up golf. Now I don’t think of the outcome anymore, maybe that’s where I went wrong before.
“I just focus on the process now and accept it if the batsman is better than me on the day.
“I do the simple things the best I can, having worked hard on them in the nets, and that’s how you get consistency.
“And I want to be as good in all three departments, it will come in time,” said Dala, who blasted an unbeaten 37 off just 14 balls to claim arguably the most unlikely win of the season over the Warriors a week ago.