Piedt relishing Black Caps challenge
Dane Piedt, like numerous South African spinners before him, always faces an anxious period ahead of Test matches played on home soil.
|||Proteas coach Russell Domingo played his hand earlier in the week when he stated "for the development of our team, it's important that we give the spinner the opportunity to try and settle into that position."
The happiest person to hear that news would undoubtedly have been Dane Piedt – the solitary specialist spinner in the Proteas squad for the first Test against New Zealand starting tomorrow at Kingsmead.
Piedt, like numerous South African spinners before him, always faces an anxious period ahead of Test matches played on home soil. With local conditions traditionally favouring the faster men, South Africa have often opted to field an all-pace attack, leaving the spinner to test his drinks carrying skills instead.
Piedt has already suffered this fate in his brief career spanning just five Tests. Despite being the highest Proteas wicket-taker in the series heading into the all-important third Test against England at the Wanderers, the 26-year-old was deemed surplus to requirements when Highveld Lions paceman Hardus Viljoen was handed a Test debut instead.
Although Piedt returned at Viljoen’s expense for the fourth and final Test at Centurion, it confirmed the fact that selection for a home Test was never a formality.
But, according to Domingo, Piedt will now be part of South Africa’s attack tomorrow and the off-spinner is ready to have a crack at the Kiwis at the same venue where he claimed his maiden Test five-for in last season’s Boxing Day Test.
"I feel very prepared going into this Test series. I’ve played a bit of first-class cricket recently and it was tough cricket for different reasons. In Zimbabwe I had to bowl lots of overs because we batted once and then had to try and bowl them out twice. They were very defensive, so I had to work hard very hard on formulating different plans to create a dismissal,” Piedt told Independent Media yesterday.
"Australia was different because we were chasing the game again all the time. It’s hard for a spinner in such circumstances because you have to think about defending before attacking, and that’s not the kind of bowler I am. But it was good match preparation to bowl in different circumstances."
Having been involved in a straight shoot-out with fellow off-spinner Simon Harmer for the last 12 months to nail down the spinner’s spot in the Proteas Test line-up, it seems like Piedt has managed to move ahead of his Warriors rival. Piedt will no doubt want to repay Domingo and the selectors’ faith in him.
"I’ve sat down with Russell after my performances over the last year and I think he enjoys the way I bowl. I’m a naturally attacking spinner – looking to take wickets all the time – but I believe I can also hold up an end when it’s needed. They looking for the full package and I’m hoping to provide the captain with different options.
"I am also grateful to being given the time and space to find my way at Test level. I’ve learnt a lot over the last 12 months with the national team and I can take a lot of confidence from and hopefully I can implement it going forward."
The Kiwis will present Piedt with an intriguing challenge due to the attacking philosophy of the Black Caps. The visitors, especially under the leadership of former skipper Brendon McCullum, play a brand of cricket that is certainly entertaining but effective too.
Piedt, though, is excited by the prospect of facing the Black Caps due the three left-handers (Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls and Mitchell Satner) within the top seven batsmen and that under new leader Kane Williamson the Kiwis have a more measured approach.
"I think, definitely, under Brendon McCullum they were ultra aggressive but Kane is a little bit different. There is a far greater balance and that’s a challenge in its own right. All the left-handers in their line-up are exciting for me, so hopefully it can all go well come Friday,” Piedt added. - Independent Media