Klaasen eyes World Cup spot

Heinrich Klaasen (below)) may have scored just 44 and then got out to a poorly-executed stroke, but on a surprisingly difficult Diamond Oval pitch, it was a topclass effort, scoring at a run-aball, to help the Proteas win the first ODI against Zimbabwe in Kimberley at the weekend.

While South Africa were chasing just 118 after a disciplined bowling display, Klaasen was the only batsman to really fire as he looks to make a mark in a series he believes will be a deciding factor in whether he gets a World Cup place or not.

“The pitch was a bit up-anddown and there was movement because of the grass cover, plus a little ridge at the other end, so it made batting very difficult. With the tennis ball bounce as well, it was very tough. So we had to adopt a normal four-day batting mindset against the seamers, just hang back. Against the spinners though, you could wait for the pulled-down delivery or run at the bowler and hit them over the roof.

“I think I’m still under pressure to secure my spot, I have three opportunities now and if I have three failures then that’s my chance gone. Every opportunity I get, I have to do well, that means there is additional pressure on me, but I do enjoy it, even though today was very difficult,” Klaasen said after the five-wicket win.

While the 27-year-old wicketkeeper/batsman has shown he can hit some gigantic sixes, Klaasen said he has learnt to rather tone down his approach a bit. He did not quite manage to steer the Proteas all the way to victory in Kimberley because, having hit successive sixes off left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza over wide long-on, two balls later, with a fielder now placed there, he mishit another attempt straight to Craig Ervine.

“I need to give myself the chance to be aggressive, get in first and then I can play my natural game,” Klaasen said.