Cape Town - Aviwe Mgijima is the type of cricketer that prefers to stay under the radar. Often found playing in star-studded Cape Cobras’ teams that are loaded with internationals, the all-rounder has preferred to sit quietly and remain in the background.
This situation has been to his detriment though with Mgijima repeatedly being under-utilised especially in the limited-overs formats. The recent T20 Challenge was a specific case in point when he was not called upon to bat or bowl in a significant number of matches during a campaign where the Cobras failed to reach the playoffs.
Although he claims to “understand” the team dynamics and that “each player has a role”, this situation has not helped the 28-year-old’s development during the four seasons he has already been part of the Cobras set up.
Mgijima’s recent progress under the new management team of coach Ashwell Prince and captain Dane Piedt in the Sunfoil Series is therefore hugely encouraging. Despite limited opportunities, the former UWC player has begun to take ownership of the No 7 position in the Cobras team.
Carrying on from the first half of the campaign where Mgijima compiled half-centuries against the Knights and Warriors, he has started 2017 in good fashion by striking another two consecutive half-centuries against the Highveld Lions and Warriors respectively.
The 73 against the Lions in Oudtshoorn was a particularly crucial knock as it allowed the Cobras to build a substantial first innings lead, which ultimately paved the way for the team’s maiden four-day victory of the season.
“I think with any player in any environment he just wants to know that he’s being backed up,” Mgijima told Independent Media. “You just want to know that you’re part of the side, and especially for me that has helped a lot. It has made me a lot more comfortable and allowed me to express myself more. It gives you confidence in your ability when you comfortable in the environment.
“The new half of the season we’ve focused a lot on taking care of the environment. Making sure there are only positive words, positive energy and everyone is really happy about it.”
A happy cricketer often leads to a successful cricketer and Mgijima has set himself some previously unattainable goals for the remainder of the Sunfoil Series. Cobras skipper Piedt recently acknowledged Mgijima’s contribution to the team’s cause, but explained that personal milestones would be hard to come by due to his critical role in the team.
“You have to understand that he is batting at number seven with the so-called batting tail and it is not easy to get to three figures. You have to shepherd the tail and it is not without its challenges,” Piedt said.
The former East London prodigy though will not let circumstances dictate his destiny any longer and is hell-bent on reaching the three figure mark.
“First-class cricket is where your skills get tested the most. It is a stern test of capabilities as a cricketer. That’s why my focus is the Sunfoil Series. I would like to get the 100 that has eluded me thus far. I have aspirations to play South Africa A and hopefully through my performances I can get in there and help the team climb the ladder at the same time,” he said.
The Cobras will certainly benefit from this positive mindset as they look turnaround their season. Although the team are on a bye this weekend, there has already been significant improvement in the New Year and can now realistically look to close in on the table-toppers despite still being in last position.
Only 19.74 points separate the first-placed Dolphins and the Cobras, which is effectively a victory and couple of bonus points. The Cobras still have three rounds of fixtures to complete and with this fresh spirit blowing through the camp anything may just be possible.