“I don’t really look at it like that.” – Matthew Breetzke doesn’t agree that he’s replacing Quinton de Kock.
Telford Vice / Cape Town
WE know Matthew Breetzke doesn’t bat left-handed, and he confirmed on Friday he will not keep wicket in South Africa’s T20I series against India that starts at Kingsmead on Sunday. But does he fish? Is he happiest outdoors?
These questions remained unasked, nevermind answered, during Breetzke’s press nine-minute conference. That was a pity. Because if you’re replacing Quinton de Kock people will want to know how alike you are to the huntin’, fishin’ shootin’ outdoorsman who has a profitable sideline in batting left-handed and keeping wicket for franchise teams and South Africa’s T20I side. And who has been rested for the matches against the Indians. Especially as Rob Walter has said you will open the batting in the rubber, just like De Kock does.
Breetzke balked, politely, at the comparison. “I don’t really look at it like that,” he said. “I’m just grateful to be afforded the opportunity. I’m coming in to win games for the team, and hopefully I can do my best.” There is, then, at least one trait Breetzke shares with De Kock: giving unusually short answers to questions at press conferences.
To be fair to Breetzke, being sat in front of a microphone and a camera in a room that contains only one journalist, and with faceless others asking their questions online in disembodied voices, can be unnerving. It wouldn’t have helped that, because of the inevitable technological glitches, he had to say three times that “I’m not going to be the man with the [wicketkeeping] gloves.”
That man is likely to be Heinrich Klaasen, although he might be Tristan Stubbs. South Africa will be less spoilt for choice in the seam section, what with Kagiso Rabada rested for the series, Lungi Ngidi ruled out with a sprained ankle, and Gerald Coetzee and Marco Jansen leaving the squad after the first two T20Is — and missing all three ODIs that follow — to prepare for the two Tests by playing first-class matches. Temba Bavuma has been given a break for the ODIs and will return to captain the Test team.
From one end of that equation it looks like the South Africans will leave a lot of bases uncovered. From the other it looms like a chance for players who don’t often get a look-in to step up to the plate and hit a homerun. Players like Breetzke, whose international career comprises a solitary T20I against Australia at Kingsmead in September.
“I only got one shot at it, in the last game of that series,” Breetzke said. “This time, hopefully I get all the shots.” That seems assured, going on what Walter said. What did that certainty do for Breetzke? “It frees me up to be the best that I can be.”
Breetzke has gone nine T20 innings since he reached a half-century; a 33-ball unbeaten 61 for Eastern Province against Boland in Potchefstroom in October last year. But he was twice marooned not out in the upper 40s in four trips to the crease for Durban’s Super Giants in the SA20 in January and February.
He has opened in 34 of his 46 innings in the format, scoring all but one of his eight 50s at the top of the order. That included a hattrick of half-centuries for Eastern Province made on three consecutive in Kimberley in October 2021 during the CSA Provincial T20 Cup.
At 25, and 144 matches of all formats into a senior career that started in February 2017, Breetzke wears a Proteas badge. How did that feel? “To be in the set-up and be surrounded by these players is a surreal moment. I can’t say much more about that except that I’m here to do the business and win games of cricket.”
Even Quinton de Kock couldn’t have said it better.
Cricbuzz
Bulletproof Truth 