WE BOWLED TEST MATCH LENGTHS, SAYS BAARTMAN

Ottniel Baartman was the second player behind captain Aiden Markram retained by the Sunrisers Eastern Cape for Betway SA20 Season 2.

To most observers outside of the Sunrisers camp it seemed an indifferent decision.

The Sunrisers' brains trust consisting of head coach Adrian Birrell, assistant coach Baakier Abrahams, bowling coach Dale Steyn and fielding coach Ryan Cook are though all astute judges of not only of talent, but also temperament.

The trio follow the “They don't know, what we know” philosophy and in Baartman that was certainly the case.

The Oudtshoorn-born seamer’s T20 record has consistently been among the best in the country with Baartman boasting a career economy rate of 6.98 runs per over and average of 17.25 per wicket.

Equally, he is proficient at the death as he showed when he closed out a high-pressure game against MI Cape Town at Newlands with a string of yorkers in the final over against Sam Curran.

But he is also devastating when the new ball is swinging and seaming about as the Pretoria Capitals discovered on Monday evening at St George's Park.

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Baartman delivered an outstanding spell of 4/12 that helped dismiss the Capitals for a competition record low 52 all out.

“There was a southeasterly wind and normally that brings a little bit of swing. We tried to exploit the conditions for as long as possible,” Baartman said.

“It actually settled my nerves, knowing that there is something in the wicket. You had to bowl a Test match length today, and luckily that worked for us today.

“Every seamer that came on made an impact with their specific spell. Almost every over a wicket fell.”

It certainly helps that Baartman also understands the lines and lengths required to be successful at St George's Park.

On the Highveld, most seam bowlers are inclined to hit back of a length in order to bring the dismissals behind the wicket into play.

In Gqeberha, Baartman follows the straightforward plan of “If you miss, I’ll hit!”.

“The ball was nipping around and seaming off the surface. You don’t want to leave the stumps, because there is always something happening when you attack the stumps. 

“If the batter wants to make the play, you're always in the game. They could have played better and adapted to the conditions a bit more. They could have batted deeper, but we took wickets in clusters.”

Baartman has now moved up to third on Betway SA20 bowlers table with eight wickets behind  Lungi Ngidi (10) and Lizaad Williams (9).