ALL ROUND STAR Marco Jansen could be a key player for South Africa at the Champions Trophy. Picture: Shaun Roy/SportzPics
Image: Shaun Roya/SportzPics
While the Proteas are in the midst of something of a fast bowler crisis, the role of allrounder Marco Jansen has taken on even greater significance.
Fast bowler Gerald Coetzee on Wednesday was included and later withdrawn in a complicated Proteas squad to do duty in the tri-nation One-Day International (ODI)series against hosts Pakistan and New Zealand starting on Saturday.
There had been a massive injury cloud hanging over Coetzee after he was ruled out of the SA20 with a hamstring problem, after just one game with the Joburg Super Kings on January 14.
Coetzee was the likely replacement for Anrich Nortje for the Proteas’ Champions Trophy squad, which begin their campaign on February 21 against Afghanistan. Coetzee was first included in the tri-nations squad which was announced at 10am, before being withdrawn in a press release made at 2pm.
Evidently, Coetzee completed 10 overs in training in Pretoria on Wednesday, but experienced discomfort in the hamstring once more and was withdrawn from the squad as a precaution. Cricket SA said a replacement would be announced in due course.
While it remains in doubt whether the SA selectors will go with someone other than Coetzee, the importance of the two recognised allrounders will be even greater. Alongside Jansen, Wiaan Mulder will also need to deliver the goods.
The 24-year-old Jansen currently tops the wicket-takers list in the SA20 with just two matches left in the competition. Jansen has taken 16 wickets at an average of 16 and a respectable economy rate of under seven per over.
Coming in down the order for Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC), Jansen has also scored the fourth most runs for his side in the competition with 199 and a highest score of 51.
Jansen plays alongside Proteas batsman Aiden Markram for SEC, as they knocked out the Joburg Super Kings at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Wednesday.
After the match, Markram sung the praises of Jansen.
“I think he's quite a quick learner, so people forget how young he still is, and it's actually strange when you have a conversation with him,” said Markram.
“He absolutely hates losing, so I just think he gets fired up every time he plays, and he's marrying that fired-up energy with better and better smarts.
“The more he's playing, the more he's growing, so yeah, it's quite a good combination.”
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