One would think that a spinner who claimed four wickets the first time he bowled on Indian soil in a Test match would not need to attend a “spinning camp”, but Proteas off-spinner Dane Piedt cannot wait to board a flight to Mumbai on Saturday.
Piedt, along with seven other bowlers and six batsmen including Cape Cobras teammates Stiaan van Zyl and Dane Vilas, will travel to the subcontinent for Cricket SA’s annual spin camp with Proteas spin bowling coach Claude Henderson and batting consultant HD Ackerman.
“I don’t want to stagnate as a spin bowler … as a cricketer,” Piedt said yesterday. “I’ve been to India a lot recently, last year’s SA A tour, and also the Test series with the Proteas where I played in the final Test, but I never want to stop learning. If there is an opportunity for me to gain knowledge, I’ll be first in the queue.
“I’m a massive fan of India. The people eat, breathe, sleep cricket and to be a part of that culture is magnificent for any cricketer.
“You just get caught up in the environment and if there’s a chance you can learn something from anyone, it’s there. It’s like a cricket university.”
Upon returning from India, Piedt replaced rival Simon Harmer, who will also be attending the Mumbai camp, as South Africa’s specialist spinner in three of the four Tests during the home series against England.
The only match that Piedt missed was the third game at the Wanderers when the selectors handed Highveld Lions seamer Hardus Viljoen a Test debut in an all-pace attack.
Piedt claimed his maiden “five-for” in the first Test at Kingsmead and although he, too, came in for punishment during Ben Stokes’ explosive 258 in the following Test at Newlands, the 26-year-old showed enough in the remaining matches to suggest he will be the country’s No 1 spinner again when New Zealand visit for a two-match Test series in August.
“I don’t have any control over whether I will be selected or not. Those are not matters I concern myself with,” Piedt said.
“My job is to prepare well and to take wickets. That’s the expectation I have of myself and that people now have of me. I am in the business of taking wickets.
“I just want to do well and contribute to the team’s success and help the Proteas move up the Test rankings again. If that means I am carrying drinks to Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Kyle Abbott, then I’ll do that to the best of my ability.”
He may be attending a spinners camp in India, but Piedt knows it is also another opportunity to improve his batting. After his maiden season of Test cricket was completed this summer, he realised he had to also contribute with the bat more consistently if he wanted to stay ahead of the pack.
He proceeded to rope in Cobras assistant coach Salieg Nackerdien during the latter stages of the Sunfoil Series competition, with Nackerdien spending hours throwing balls at Piedt in the nets after regular training.
Piedt also requested more batting responsibility at the franchise and was handed the No 7 position. His extra work started to reap rewards towards the latter stage of the four-day campaign when he shared a 132-run partnership with Vilas for the seventh wicket against the Knights in Bloemfontein, while he also batted for an hour with last man Dane Paterson to almost take the Cobras home against the Titans.
Players to attend Mumbai spin camp, May 14-21
Bowlers: Bjorn Fortuin, Simon Harmer, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj, Tshepo Ntuli, Aaron Phangiso, Dane Piedt, Prenelan Subrayen.
Batsmen: Temba Bavuma, Reeza Hendricks, Smangaliso Nhlebela, Hector Ngobeni, Stiaan van Zyl, Dane Vilas. - Cape Times