Photo Credit: SA20 League
Paarl Royals’ teen fast bowling sensation Kwena Maphaka became the youngest player ever to be capped by the Proteas last night in the first T20I against the West Indies in Tarouba, Trinidad.
Maphaka, who was 18 years and 137 days old, has superseded former fast bowler and national convenor of selectors Victor Mpitsang. Mpitsang was 18 years and 314 days and also made his Proteas debut against the West Indies at Bloemfontein way back in February 1999.
The youngster’s first taste of international action was coming out to bat at No 9 for the last delivery of the innings, managing to cut it into the covers and run through for a single to close the Proteas’ innings at 174/7.
It was a good recovery after the Proteas had earlier slumped to 42/5. Sunrisers Eastern Cape duo Tristan Stubbs and Patrick Kruger staged the fightback with a 71-run partnership off 50 balls for the sixth wicket.
Kruger was the chief aggressor with the hard-hitting all-rounder smashing a T20I career-best of 44 off 32 balls (4×4 ; 2×6).
After Kruger’s dismissal – caught at short fine-leg off seamer Matthew Forde (3/27) – Stubbs took centre stage as he dominated a 60-run partnership off just 25 balls with Bjorn Fortuin (11 not out).
Stubbs’ second T20I half-century came off 33 balls, but smashed 23 off his final six deliveries to finish with 76 off 42 balls (8×4 ; 3×6).
Maphaka was introduced into the Proteas’ attack for the first time in the third over of the West Indies run chase.
He showed a touch of nerves by delivering two wides in his opening over, but charged in with good pace and was fairly economical by conceding nine runs in the midst of an onslaught by the Windies openers Shai Hope (51) and Alick Athanaze (40) in the Powerplay, who managed 75 without loss in the first six overs.
Captain Aiden Markram displayed good judgement by keeping the youngster out of the eye of the storm and only reintroduced him in the 10th over.
Maphaka was solid in his return to the attack, conceding five runs and a further seven in the 15th over.
The St Stithians prodigy was rewarded for holding his nerve on the night and showing good control when he had West Indies captain Rovman Powell caught at extra cover to claim his maiden international wicket in his final over.
Maphaka celebrated with a fist pump, but it was nothing over elaborate as the Windies were by that stage one stroke away from victory, courtesy of a blitzkrieg 20-ball half-century from former Durban’s Super Giants superstar Nicholas Pooran (65 not out; 26 balls; 2×4; 7×6).
Maphaka eventually finished with the commendable T20I debut figures of 3.5-0-25-1. Sunrisers Eastern Cape star Ottneil Baartman (2/30) was the other Proteas wicket-taker as the Windies romped home by seven wickets with 13 balls to spare.
Despite the disappointment of the defeat, Proteas captain Markram remained excited about the birth of a potential superstar in Maphaka.
“Maphaka has a lot of X-factor and is really young. Raw pace. He has hunger when you speak to him off the field. He is here to compete and win games for South Africa. Fantastic signs for us as a team,” he said.
Maphaka is likely to get another opportunity on Sunday in the second T20I after his Paarl Royals teammate Lungi Ngidi was ruled out of the entire series due to a right calf injury sustained during training.
