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NGIDI'S GOLDEN YEAR: AWARDS, HAT-TRICKS, AND DISMISSING JOS BUTTLER
South Africa’s Men’s T20 Player of the Year, Lungi Ngidi, believes the experience of playing Betway SA20 alongside some of the legends of the game has inspired him to raise his game over the past 12 months.
Ngidi enjoyed a royal night out at the Cricket South Africa (CSA) Awards last week, with the 31-year-old paceman winning the premier short-format prize, along with the SA Fans' Player of the Year and the Best Men’s Delivery of the Year.
The latter award was particularly special, as it was his unique slower ball that dismissed England’s top-order batter Jos Buttler in the 2nd ODI at Lord’s last September.
Buttler had come charging at Ngidi, but the big seamer was able to change his pace, causing the ball to dip below Buttler’s bat to hit the crease at yorker length.
Ngidi was particularly pleased with that wicket, as he had played alongside Buttler at Paarl Royals for two seasons before moving to Pretoria Capitals in Season 4.
“Jos Buttler, he's an amazing cricketer. I've played with him at the Paarl Royals, and I've played against him at the IPL and on the international stage, and I know what he's capable of,” Ngidi said.
Ngidi's Delivery of the Year award was for dismissing Jos Buttler, a former Paarl Royals teammate of his
“He’s probably one of the best white-ball batters to ever play the game. So, to be able to get one on him with a ball that I've worked hard on is definitely fabulous.”
Ngidi has staged a tremendous comeback over the last year in international cricket after a couple of lean seasons due to injuries and a subsequent loss of form.
However, he has been bowling with plenty of confidence since the second innings of World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord’s, when his three-wicket burst went a long way towards the Proteas securing their first major ICC trophy in 27 years.
He carried his form through to the white-ball formats, where Ngidi rewrote the Betway SA20 history books by becoming the first bowler to claim a hat-trick in the competition.
He elevated his performances at the T20 World Cup in India, where he finished as the Proteas’ leading wicket-taker with 12 scalps.
Ngidi credits much of his success to the confidence and faith that Durban’s Super Giants and Proteas T20I captain Aiden Markram has in him.
“I've played cricket with Aiden since Under-19s, so we go a long way back. The character he is as a leader, the performances that we put in, a lot of thanks can go to him,” Ngidi said.
“Behind the scenes, he's probably one of the most influential people. He backs you and tells you to go with your gut feeling. Even when things don't work out, he still supports you. I've got a great relationship with him.”
The seamer believes Markram, who was honoured with the coveted SA Men’s Player of the Year and SA Men’s T20 Player of the Year, was fully deserving of the recognition.
“I'm very happy that he got that award,” Ngidi said.
“Seeing that he hadn't gotten anything, he deserved something with the season that he had. For him to get the big one, I'm very happy for him. He's a great leader, but he's a great human being first. I wish him many more successful years.”
