Cape Town - All the focus within the Cape Cobras camp in the build-up to this weekend’s opening One-Day Cup match against the Highveld Lions has been about the unavailability of star left-arm swing bowlers Wayne Parnell and Beuran Hendricks.
The pair has been doing their rehabilitation from their respective injuries together at Newlands this week, with Hendricks bowling to Parnell on Monday and vice-versa yesterday. With their progress also being monitored by the national team selectors, it has almost gone unnoticed that the Cobras still have another Proteas left-armer, Mthokozisi Shezi, within their ranks that will lead the attack on Saturday.
Shezi was a consistent performer in the Cobras’ run to the final last season, claiming 10 wickets at an average of 30.20.
In his second season here in Cape Town,the former Dolphins player is looking to improve on this showing starting on Saturday at the Bullring.
“Look here … there’s no doubt that we have the strongest bowling unit I have ever seen at a franchise. There is just so much quality here at the Cobras. That can put pressure on you as a bowler, because sometimes you focus on the next guy that you forget your own game plans,” he said.
Shezi’s role will most likely change for the opening three games of the season with the availability of Proteas test new-ball bowler Vernon Philander before he departs to India. Philander and Cobras’ Player of the Year Dane Paterson will have first crack at the Lions top-order with Shezi and Tsepho Moreki the support cast.
This change could suit Shezi because he is particularly good during the middle-overs in his second spell and also at the back-end of the innings, when his death-bowling skills comes to the fore.
“I do enjoy bowling at the back-end. It is an area of my game that I have worked particularly hard on. My yorker is coming out really nicely. I have taken on that responsibility to finish off games for the Cobras,” he said.
LIKELY CAPE COBRAS SQUAD
Andrew Puttick, Richard Levi, Stiaan van Zyl, Omphile Ramela, Dane Vilas (wk), Justin Ontong (capt), Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Dane Paterson, Tsepho Moreki, Mthokozisi Shezi, Lizaad Williams.
Cape Argus