Now and then, life throws unexpected opportunities at us and for 26-year-old SA batsman Matthew Breetzke that opportunity came just before the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy.
Despite his immense talent and numbers in domestic T20 cricket all around the world or his sparkling first-class career returns over the past few years, Breetzke would have been a distance away from breaking into the Proteas’ One Day International side.
However, when the Tri-Nations series between SA, Pakistan and New Zealand clashed with the playoffs stage of the SA20, SA’s limited-overs coach, Rob Walter, came knocking on Breetzke’s door, and the batsman answered the call in style.
On debut, he blasted 150 runs, beating Desmond Haynes’s 47-year-old record by three runs to record the highest-ever individual score in an ODI debut.
Breetzke followed up the century with a brilliant 83 against Pakistan, proving to Walter and captain Temba Bavuma that he is one for the future.
Unfortunately for the former Grey High schoolboy star, there was no room for him when the Champions Trophy squad was initially chosen.
With the Proteas top order filled with established internationals including Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller, it is going to be difficult for Breetzke and any of the up-and-coming batsmen to break into the ODI team.
In Breetzke’s case, after that impressive debut ODI series in Pakistan, he knows what Walter is asking for from him to break into the ODI team.
In an exclusive interview with SportsBoom.co.za, Breetzke said: “That team has really good players.
“The conversation [with Walter] was to keep scoring runs and putting pressure on them [established players].
“The more I play, the better I’m getting.
“In my mind, there’s no reason I can’t put any of those big guys under pressure.
“If I keep putting in performances, I do believe that I have what it takes to perform at that level consistently.
“I just need to score more runs.
“With the quality they have in that line-up, I’m going to have to keep working hard and knocking the door down because that is somewhere I want to be, and all my work will be going into playing for SA.”
Breetzke described his ODI debut as special.
“It was a special moment. Any time I play for SA is very special but to top it off with some good scores and contribute, that was amazing,” he said.
“I hadn’t had a great start in one-day cricket, but I’ve done well in white-ball cricket in terms of T20 cricket all around the world.
“I’ve always had the confidence, and I know how to score runs.
“It helped that it was on a good wicket and that I was batting in an ideal batting position.
“The more I play for the Proteas, the more confident I get. Hopefully, I get a good run.”
Before that Tri-Nations series, Breetzke had only one century in his List A career as he seemed to struggle to produce big scores in the format, a feat he was able to produce in the other two formats.
“I batted in different positions so that was always tricky,” he said.
“So, I never really got a good run, but I was always confident in one-day cricket that I was going to score a hundred in Pakistan.” — SportsBoom
Breetzke on the outside kicking the door down
Image: RAHAT DAR/EPA
Now and then, life throws unexpected opportunities at us and for 26-year-old SA batsman Matthew Breetzke that opportunity came just before the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy.
Despite his immense talent and numbers in domestic T20 cricket all around the world or his sparkling first-class career returns over the past few years, Breetzke would have been a distance away from breaking into the Proteas’ One Day International side.
However, when the Tri-Nations series between SA, Pakistan and New Zealand clashed with the playoffs stage of the SA20, SA’s limited-overs coach, Rob Walter, came knocking on Breetzke’s door, and the batsman answered the call in style.
On debut, he blasted 150 runs, beating Desmond Haynes’s 47-year-old record by three runs to record the highest-ever individual score in an ODI debut.
Breetzke followed up the century with a brilliant 83 against Pakistan, proving to Walter and captain Temba Bavuma that he is one for the future.
Unfortunately for the former Grey High schoolboy star, there was no room for him when the Champions Trophy squad was initially chosen.
With the Proteas top order filled with established internationals including Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller, it is going to be difficult for Breetzke and any of the up-and-coming batsmen to break into the ODI team.
In Breetzke’s case, after that impressive debut ODI series in Pakistan, he knows what Walter is asking for from him to break into the ODI team.
In an exclusive interview with SportsBoom.co.za, Breetzke said: “That team has really good players.
“The conversation [with Walter] was to keep scoring runs and putting pressure on them [established players].
“The more I play, the better I’m getting.
“In my mind, there’s no reason I can’t put any of those big guys under pressure.
“If I keep putting in performances, I do believe that I have what it takes to perform at that level consistently.
“I just need to score more runs.
“With the quality they have in that line-up, I’m going to have to keep working hard and knocking the door down because that is somewhere I want to be, and all my work will be going into playing for SA.”
Breetzke described his ODI debut as special.
“It was a special moment. Any time I play for SA is very special but to top it off with some good scores and contribute, that was amazing,” he said.
“I hadn’t had a great start in one-day cricket, but I’ve done well in white-ball cricket in terms of T20 cricket all around the world.
“I’ve always had the confidence, and I know how to score runs.
“It helped that it was on a good wicket and that I was batting in an ideal batting position.
“The more I play for the Proteas, the more confident I get. Hopefully, I get a good run.”
Before that Tri-Nations series, Breetzke had only one century in his List A career as he seemed to struggle to produce big scores in the format, a feat he was able to produce in the other two formats.
“I batted in different positions so that was always tricky,” he said.
“So, I never really got a good run, but I was always confident in one-day cricket that I was going to score a hundred in Pakistan.” — SportsBoom
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