COBRAS’ ACE BATSMAN PICKED FOR PROTEAS TO FACE PAKISTAN
Hamza part of succession plan as stalwarts nearing retirement, say selectors
Zubayr Hamza, 23, is surprise selection in squad of 13 for coming series, with selectors arguing they are beginning to plan for the future
Cape Cobras batsman Zubayr Hamza is the surprise selection in the Proteas’ 13-man squad for the three-Test series against Pakistan later this month.
Should the 23-year-old righthander make his debut in the series that starts on Boxing Day at SuperSport Park in Centurion‚ he’ll be the 100th player to represent the Proteas since April 1992 when South Africa played their first Test since apartheid-enforced isolation began in 1970 against the West Indies in Bridgetown‚ Barbados.
Hamza is part of Cape Cobras unit that is sitting pretty at the top of the four-day franchise series table and has been a key cog in a young top-order that’s functioned fluently.
Hamza‚ a product of Rondebosch Boys High School in Cape Town‚ made his first-class debut for Western Province against KwaZulu-Natal Inland when he was still 18.
He scored 29 and two in the drawn three-day game but in 50 subsequent outings‚ he’s made 3,543 runs.
He averages 48.95 with nine first-class tons and 22 fifties but in nine innings in five four-day franchise matches this season‚ he’s collected 255 runs at 31.87 with two fifties.
He’s the 20th highest red-ball run-scorer this season in a group that’s led by Knights batsman Pite van Biljon (574 runs at 63.77) and Hamza’s teammate Pieter Malan (492 runs at 54.66).
Hamza’s played less first-class cricket than the leading duo but has a better career average (Van Biljon has 42.47 and Malan 45.81).
Malan could consider himself unlucky because he’s been a consistent performer regardless of the Cobras’ fluctuations in the past four seasons.
At 29‚ Malan also has a few good batting years ahead of him.
Hamza though had a standout season last year where he was fourth on the red-ball runscoring charts with 828 runs at 69 with three centuries and four 50’s.
National convenor of selectors Linda Zondi‚ who’s eye is often on the future‚ said Hamza’s selection has potential future retirements in mind.
Zondi also said Hamza’s good South Africa “A” form has also worked in his favour.
Stalwarts Faf du Plessis and Hashim Amla are on the wrong side of 30 and their futures in all forms of cricket will come under scrutiny after next year’s World Cup in England.
“Zubayr has been one of the standout cricketers in domestic cricket over the past year and carried that form into the South Africa A tour to India where he averaged over 50 in the four-day series against tough opposition and under tough conditions.
“Before that‚ he had an outstanding season in the four-day franchise competition where he scored 823 runs‚ including three centuries‚ at the impressive average of 69, ” said Zondi.
“His selection is part of our vision for the future. It is inevitable that some of our senior players will start thinking of retiring in years to come and it is vital that we have a good succession plan in place,” Zondi added.
With Lungi Ngidi nursing a knee injury that he sustained in the sole T20 against Australia last month that rules him out of the first part of South Africa’s Test summer‚ Duanne Olivier‚ who’s bowled well in the Mzansi Super League and collected 20 four-day franchise wickets at 22.80‚ will fill in for him.