PICK ME: In-form Breetzke wants to be a regular for Proteas

PROTEAS batter Matthew Breetzke announced himself to one-day international cricket like no one has done before him.

The 26-year-old from Gqeberha blasted a debut record 150 runs in his first-ever 50-over international against New Zealand in Lahore earlier this month to eclipse the 47-year record for the highest score on debut by Desmond Haynes.

With the groot kanonne not available for the tri-series against New Zealand and Pakistan as the Proteas warmed up for the ongoing Champions Trophy, Breetzke followed up that knock with a superb 83 against Pakistan.

But he was not part of the Champions Trophy squad and returned home with renewed hope of playing for the national team in 50-over cricket.

In an interview with Sportsboom, Breetzke says of making coach Rob Walter’s team: “That team has really good players.

“The conversation [with coach Rob Walter] was to keep scoring runs and putting pressure on them [the established players].

“The more I play, the better I’m getting. In my mind, there’s no reason why I can’t put any of those big guys under pressure.

“If I keep putting in performances, I do believe that I have what it takes to perform at that level consistently.

“I just need to go and score more runs. With the quality that they have in that lineup, I’m going to have to keep working hard and knocking the door down because that is definitely somewhere I want, and all my work will be going into playing for South Africa.”