Year in, year out, South African stars break into the Indian Premier League on the back of impressive performances on the international cricket stage.
This year, Matthew Breetzke, a Gqeberha-born batter, finally broke into the IPL, roped in by the Lucknow Super Giants, joining fellow Proteas players Aiden Markram and David Miller.
This came after Breetzke’s consistent performances in the SA20 and his record-breaking 150 on his ODI debut last month in Pakistan.
However, the 26-year-old’s rise started decades ago, and no one narrates it better than the Proteas’ white-ball fielding coach, Wandile Gwavu.
From Eastern Province Under-13 in 2010, to South Africa Under-19, Gwavu was coaching Breetzke up to now at the Proteas, where their paths have crossed once again.
“Actually, my first memory of Breetzke was when he was three years old, believe it or not. I’m friends with his brother Chad... we used to practice together at Grey High back in the day, and we went to a lot of trials together,” Gwavu told Independent Media.
“At that time, Chad used to bring his brother with his parents, and Matthew used to play around with his plastic bat.
“But for me, it’s his work ethic more than anything. He loves the game more than anything, and to an extent, I sometimes tell him that he is crazy about it.
“And I think to make it to international level sometimes and be as good as he is, you have to have that little bit of craziness about you and also about the game.
“I remember a couple of years ago, I think it was four years ago, at the Warriors when he went through a slump where he wasn’t making a lot of runs.
“And I remember he said he wasn’t enjoying his game, but he never stopped working.”
Breetzke and his Lucknow Super Giants teammates will get their IPL campaign started on Monday, 24 March against Faf du Plessis and Tristan Stubbs’ Delhi Capitals in Visakhapatnam.
“And I remember he said he wasn’t enjoying his game, but he never stopped working.”
Breetzke and his Lucknow Super Giants teammates will get their IPL campaign started on Monday, 24 March against Faf du Plessis and Tristan Stubbs’ Delhi Capitals in Visakhapatnam.
