Interviews
BETWAY SA20 HAS HELPED ME PREPARE FOR INTERNATIONAL CRICKET, SAYS BAARTMAN
Ottniel Baartman has joined the growing list of Betway SA20 stars to gain promotion to the Proteas national team this week.
The Sunrisers Eastern Cape fast bowler is in line for a T20I and ODI debut after being called up by Proteas coach Rob Walter for the upcoming India series.
The past 12 months has already seen the likes of Dewald Brevis (MI Cape Town), Donovan Ferreira (Joburg Super Kings), Gerald Coetzee (Joburg Super Kings) and Matthew Breetzke (Durban’s Super Giants) all begin their international careers after Betway SA20 Season 1.
SA20’s impact on South African cricket has certainly been profound in such a short period with Baartman previously being an unheralded hard-working seamer in domestic cricket.
But the global stage provided by SA20 has elevated Baartman’s status, especially after the 30-year-old from Oudtshoorn played an integral role in helping the Sunrisers to the inaugural championship crown with 12 wickets in the competition.
Baartman claimed 12 wickets at a strike rite of 10:00, with a best bowling performance of 3/45 against MI Cape Town.
“The exposure you get in SA20 is just brilliant. You play against the best guys in the world. It tests your character, your mental aspects, because you’re playing against good quality batters,” Baartman said.
Equally, Baartman feels that having been exposed to playing in front of 23 000 spectators at a sold out Bullring in the final is great preparation for international cricket.
“I remember the final. It was something special,” Baartman said. “I think that will help me adjust. It was quite noisy that day. I had never played before a crowd like that and at the start I was quite nervous.
“But as soon as you start, you get into your work, and you actually forget about the noise and the crowd and you just focus on what you do.”
A further spin off of SA20’s benefit to South African cricketers is the opportunity to work some of the greats of the game, thereby learning from their experiences and tapping into their vast wealth of knowledge.
Baartman couldn’t have dreamt of anyone better with Proteas pace legend Dale Steyn an integral part of the Sunrisers’ coaching staff as the team’s bowling coach.
Sunrisers Eastern Cape bowling coach Dale Steyn has earned praise from Ottniel Baartman following his call-up to the Proteas T20I and ODI squads against India.
“Dale was one of the best bowlers in the world for decades, and to learn from him the way he went about things was extremely exciting,” he said.
“I learnt a lot from him. Not pace wise, but skills specific. He’s early into his coaching career, so he connects to the player, and I really learn a lot from him.”
Baartman was pre-signed by the Sunrisers Eastern Cape for Betway SA20 and will more than likely be part of the starting XI when Season 2 gets underway at St George’s Park in Gqeberha on January 10.
