Photo Credit: SA20 League
Matthew Breetzke has enjoyed a whirlwind past 12 months.
The 25-year-old dashing right-hander made his international T20 debut this year at the home of his Betway SA20 franchise Durban’s Super Giants.
Although born-and-bred in Gqeberha where he attended the prestigious Grey High School, it was fitting that his Proteas debut was at Kingsmead as Breetzke has enjoyed his time spent in KwaZulu-Natal. DON’T MISS OUT ON BREETZKE AND HIS DSG TEAMMATES AT KINGSMEAD! BUY TICKETS NOW…
Breetzke has especially enjoyed linking up with Proteas legend and DSG coach Lance Klusener.
“SA20 was the best month of cricket I’ve had in my short professional career. The way we got treated, and how professional cricketers should get treated, that’s what really stood out for me,” Breetzke said.
“To be honest, that was the last team I thought would go for me. I thought the Sunrisers would go for me, but it was actually a really nice breath of fresh air to work in a different environment and new province.
“Working with Zulu (Lance Klusener) was also really cool. I think the way he keeps things simple is probably what I learned the most. And for me that’s what I took away from the tournament.”
Breetzke certainly feels that the Betway SA20 will be the launch pad for more burgeoning international careers going forward, especially after fellow youngsters such as Gerald Coetzee and Donovan Ferreira – both Joburg Super Kings – and MI Cape Town’s Dewald Brevis were all afforded a taste of a higher level.
“Firstly, I think the SA20 was the reason I got selected for the Proteas,” he said.
“I think going forward SA20 will be the platform for where players are selected from because of the high pressure and quality opposition. SA20 has given me the confidence to go do the business.
“It gets you used to the hype and the crowds. It’s like in India with the IPL and that’s why their young players adapt so quickly to international cricket. Also, testing yourself against the best players in the world was also a big thing for me.”
The former SA U19 star certainly cannot wait for the start of the Betway SA20 Season 2, especially with the Super Giants having bolstered their ranks with the major signing of West Indies superstar Nicholas Pooran to bat alongside arguably the best white-ball batter in the world at the moment Heinrich Klaasen.
“I am very excited. The team we have now is probably a bit more balanced and that will give us a better shot [in 2024],” he added.
Breetzke’s Durban’s Super Giants open their Betway SA20 Season 2 campaign against MI Cape Town at home on January 11.
Name of Author: SA20 League
SA20, officially known as the Betway SA20 for sponsorship reasons, is a Twenty20 franchise cricket tournament in South Africa organized by Cricket South Africa (CSA). First held in the 2023 season, the league features six city-based teams. Sunrisers Eastern Cape won the first two editions of the tournament.
