Proteas return to CSA T20 Challenge and already Heinrich Klaasen shows intent

Arguably the world’s most sought-after middle-order batter, Heinrich Klaasen, announced his return to domestic cricket with a characteristically destructive half-century to guide the Titans to a bonus-point T20 Challenge victory over Boland at Centurion on Wednesday night.

Klaasen smacked an unbeaten 71 off 32 deliveries, a knock that saw the right-handed batter hit his signature pull shots over the square-leg boundary as he muscled five sixes and as many fours in his innings.

It must take its toll when you’re one of the most valuable commodities in white-ball cricket, especially with the existing T20 circuits around the world, where players are expected to travel long distances, move between countries and change teams in a space of days.

All the while, players such as Klaasen still have national duty, which in most cases is a priority. This schedule can be quite taxing on the players’ physical and mental health, as well as possibly extend negatively into family life.

In Klaasen’s case, he has been playing cricket without much rest, literally from the beginning of the year with Durban’s Super Giants in the SA20 through to the end of July, when he represented the Seattle Orcas in Major League Cricket in the United States.

In between, the 33-year-old had to show up for international series with the Proteas and play in the IPL, before featuring in the T20 World Cup in the US and West Indies.

However, with Cricket South Africa’s decision to rest senior players in recent months, Klaasen has spent the last few months of the pre-season at home with his young family while practising with the Titans at SuperSport.

Klaasen has spent a total of 11 weeks without taking to the field, and he looked visibly rejuvenated midweek and fresh for what will be a busy international summer and the ICC Champions Trophy next year.

Klaasen is not the only Proteas star who turned out for their franchises as his teammate Andile Phehlukwayo made his Titans debut in Centurion earlier this week.

Around the country, other Proteas stars such as Warriors batter Tristan Stubbs, Western Province wicket-keeper Kyle Verreynne and Dolphins all-rounder Jason Smith all returned to domestic cricket a day after having arrived back in South Africa from the United Arab Emirates.

Out of the rested Proteas bunch, the set of fast bowlers – including Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee and Kagiso Rabada – only Jansen has run in to bowl in the T20 Challenge thus far.

More T20 Challenge action will get under way in Paarl and Gqeberha on Saturday, when Boland host the Lions (2pm start) and the Warriors take on North West Dragons (6pm) respectively.