De Kock ready to spearhead South Africa’s dream

THERE are three keepers in the Proteas’ circle again. One is on the mend, one is taking it easy, and the third is taking every chance that he can get.

While Morné van Wyk will keep wicket tomorrow to allow AB de Villiers some respite, the Proteas camp would have been heartened by the return to national duty of hard-hitting opener Quinton de Kock.

The Gauteng Lions youngster looked full of beans yesterday as he was put through his paces at his first team practice in over a month, since damaging his left ankle in the first Test against the West Indies.

“The ankle feels fine, and I’ve been running it for a while now. I’m just chuffed to be back with the boys, hey. I’ve missed them, and doing fitness all the time is boring,” De Kock said after his net session.

Happily, for the management team, he doesn’t seem to have lost much touch over the last month away from the game. In between the PlayStation sessions, he’s remained fit and focused on making his way onto the World Cup bus. His keeping looked sharp, and he didn’t seem concerned at all about his strapped foot.

“Quinny is actually ahead of schedule,” team doctor Mohammed Moosajee said.

“We said six weeks, but he is back already, and the ankle is 100% healed. As a precaution, he won’t play on Sunday, but we are confident that he will be in contention for next Wednesday at Centurion.”

De Kock also looked in fine fettle with the bat, which would have been even more heartening for the brainstrust. Even at just 22, he is expected to provide the Proteas with that whiff of magic at the top of the order

“It will be great to be back out there. I’ll also play the SA A game against England in Potch on the weekend, just for game time. But I’m ready to go. Right now!” De Kock added with relish.