“I have something to offer, especially with my bowling”
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
South Africa opening batsman Dean Elgar believes that there is one thing keeping him from having a chance of playing ODI cricket again…his bowling.
Elgar was named Man of the Series in South Africa’s recent Test series against Sri Lanka, which the Proteas won 3-0, for scoring 308 runs at an average of 61.60.
With batsman Rilee Rossouw having given up his international career after signing a Kolpak deal with Hampshire, there is a spot open in the ODI squad and Elgar is willing to go the extra distance to claim it as his own.
But, Elgar has only featured in six ODIs to date, with five coming in South Africa’s tour of England in 2012 and the other one being against India in November 2015, where he was brought in as a replacement for an injured JP Duminy.
“I very much still want to play one-day cricket, and think I have something to offer, especially with my bowling. In Test cricket I can’t offer my bowling as I can in white-ball cricket,” Elgar said. “I am throwing both hands and both feet up, I want to play one-day cricket. I know opportunities might come with guys leaving and so be it.”
The 29-year-old, however, admitted that he has not featured in enough List A games for the Titans as of late. This is in no way his fault though as he has been on international duty during the last two editions of South Africa’s domestic 50-over tournament.
But, it must be noted that when he featured in the competition back in 2011/12, he found himself at the summit of the run-scoring list with 567 runs from 10 matches at a brilliant average of 81.00.
“It’s difficult when I tour a lot. I’ve missed two years of domestic one-day cricket so it’s difficult to turn out the numbers and stats that people are looking for,” he said. “But in saying that I still get to play Test cricket for South Africa which is the format that everyone wants to play. I’m all-in for one-day cricket still.”
Elgar is likely to miss the majority of South Africa’s domestic one-day tournament this year as well as it runs from February 17 to March 31, which falls during the Proteas’ tour of New Zealand.
However, since the Test team will only be required at the beginning of March, it leaves Elgar with a small window to make his presence felt in the competition and prove to the national selectors that he deserves a spot in the ODI squad.
Should that happen, South Africa head coach Russell Domingo has made it clear that a close eye will be kept on Elgar.
“Our one-day side is pretty stacked at the moment with Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy and David Miller – that’s probably the top six,” Domingo said. “Farhaan Behardien is also there. He [Elgar] is definitely an option, particularly in the top three. He has got a good one-day record. He is in the mix, there’s no doubt about it.
“Him and a few other batters, like Theunis de Bruyn and Temba Bavuma who got a hundred on one-day debut when he played. There are a few fringe players in the mix and his name is definitely in there.”