Duminy, jou doring
12 Feb 2008
JP Duminy has been the success story of the Proteas’ season.
Shaun Pollock may have hogged the headlines, but Duminy was the real star of South Africa’s 5-0 one-day series drubbing of the West Indies.
Duminy’s 79* in the first match in Centurion was the kind of innings you’d expect from Jacques Kallis. He arrived at the crease with the Proteas in huge trouble at 4-2 and patiently dug his side out of a hole. He also had to worry about the threat of rain and constantly monitor the Duckworth-Lewis calculations in his pocket to make sure the Proteas were ahead of the game.
Fortunately, he decided to stop stressing about the weather and start concentrating on building partnerships. The result was a comfortable win for the Proteas, with the 23-year-old deservedly hitting the winning runs.
Coach Mickey Arthur afterwards praised Duminy for the way he controlled the innings and for showing calmness and maturity under pressure. When asked what he’d done right, Duminy said he’d simply focused on building an innings, like Kallis does so often, instead of trying to score too quickly.
To fully appreciate Duminy’s recent success, you have to be aware of the difficult road he’s travelled in international cricket. He made his one-day debut for the Proteas in a five-match series against Sri Lanka in 2004, having scored a pile of runs in domestic cricket. However, in unfamiliar conditions, the 20-year-old made 4, 22, 3, 0 and 0, while batting out of position at No 8, 8, 8, 6 and 7 respectively.
His confidence shattered, he waited two years for another opportunity, which came when South Africa rested several first-choice players against Zimbabwe at home. He averaged 115 in that series, thanks to two not outs, only to struggle against India in Ireland (51 runs in three matches at 17.00) and in an away series against Zimbabwe (33 runs in three matches at 16.50).
Duminy was selected to tour Pakistan at the beginning of this season, and although he didn’t bat in the first ODI, he made 44 in the second and followed that with 46 in the first ODI against New Zealand at home. But another two failures against the Black Caps meant his place was anything but secure at the start of the West Indies series.
Then came the 79* that possibly changed the course of Duminy’s career. He followed that with 148 runs in his next three innings and was named joint Man of the Series along with Pollock.
After his first five ODI appearances, Duminy averaged 5.80. His recent run of form has pushed that up to a respectable 33.47 after 25 matches, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him edge past 40 over the next couple of years. All of which goes to show that putting faith in the abilities of a youngster and giving him every opportunity to succeed can pay off handsomely.
By Simon Borchardt
111 Comments
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19 Feb 2008, 20:09 pm
I always find these debates interesting but let us not perpetuate myths that end up having a life of its own. Soccer is the most transformed sport although Im not a fan. In 1996 when we won the AFCON, Tovey, Fish, Issa, Tinkler, Anderson were in the squad. The squad was coached by Clive Barker. Since then there have been other “wit ous” like Vonk, Marlin, Carnell, Komountarakis, Winstanley, Carnell, Fernandez,Evans etc who have represented Bafana throughout the years. In terms of the so-called coloured contigent I can name Mark Williams, Shaun Bartlett, Brendan Augustine, Andre Arendse, Willem Jackson,Quinton Fortune, Aaron Buckley, Benni Mccarthy, Steven Pienaar, Nasief Morris, Lance Davids, Elrio Van heerden Bryce Moon, Moeneeb Josephs. These are the players who have played in AFCONs and WCs. I have not even researched who else has played friendlies. Let us therefore not make comparisons as it is clear that soccer is streets ahead ito transformation.
22 Feb 2008, 13:41 pm
99- You were maybe not born with them but you did’nt say no to all the benefits hey and now that you have to share it with the rest now you want to throw your toys out.What did you think people were marginalised for how many years and now you expect them just to smile and move on cause everything’s apparently equal so whatz the problem and why should we have AA, BEE, quotas? Are you for real, ha ha ha haaaa… what a joke no wonder we must have forced qoutas to change things around here.
Hooker to be honest I dont care what you think or feel either. If you are not happy here you are welcome to leave…
22 Feb 2008, 18:05 pm
fullback I’m happy in SA and wouldn’t leave my home for any other place in the world! Whether you like it or not it’s just as much my country as it is yours you twat!
The ‘benefits’ I had in the bad old days are no different to the benifits you have today. AA,quaota’s etc It’s all got to do with racial discrimination!
These “benefits” I had really helped me through junior school!
I just want to thank you for being honest though! Now at least I know that all you’re after is revenge for apartheid!
I seriously suggest you think about getting rid of that chip on your shoulder!
27 Feb 2008, 20:22 pm
Not about revenge and what chip? If people wanted revenge they could have taken revenge long time ago. Sorry to say it but you really sound stupid and narrow-minded and BTW do you think I am a black or coloured person? I am ashamed to be speaking to you !
Maybe you should get rid of that little chip cause you are in no position to hand out any advise especially in the new SA ! !
27 Feb 2008, 20:23 pm
hooker post 104 was for you
3 Mar 2008, 17:31 pm
#104: Could it be then that you’re white(if you’re not Asian etc)? If you are then “my white brothers” are your white brother’s too you flippin idiot!
I might sound stupid but it sure as hell beats being stupid!!
I’m in “no position to hand out ADVICE especially in the new SA” Why peanut?
4 Mar 2008, 13:08 pm
Hooker
1. Maybe I can’t change the colour but I am just glad I don’t have the mentality an attitude towards people like YOU your DUMB IDIOT/MORON ! ! !This country migth have change in laws but alot of you are still sickened with prejudice based only on people’s colour. Damn and you u want to call me a peanut and stupid, ffs if I was you I would rather shut up ! ! you are just making a fool of yourself and let people see the real HOOKER.
4 Mar 2008, 14:41 pm
The real Hooker doesn’t care what skin colour a person is you clown! The real Hooker despises prejudice towards other people(eg apartheid, Affirmative Action etc)
Where in ANY of my posts was I “sickened with prejudice based only on people’s colour” ? Or is this just something you’ve assusmed having never even met me? That sounds a bit prejudice to me you wally?
Stop making a complete *** out of yourself and read your post #98 again:
Hooker-Really if it was’nt for your white brothers we all could live okay with each other in this country without any transformation **** like AA or BEE. The Whites decided to seperate people on the basis of only their skins colour and nothing else (wonder what the man above will tell you all on judgement day)..anycase be strong brother be strong
People are being employed,picked to represent sporting sides etc. according to their skin colour these days and if it made you sick when it happened 20+ years ago it should be making you sick today as it is still happening!
So before you tag me with our white brothers first get your facts sorted YOU PEANUT!!!
4 Mar 2008, 15:04 pm
108 The real hooker is talking a load of **** , not worry about people’s skin colour ,what a brilliant joke, ha ha ha haaaa.. Listen I have better things to do and more intelligent people to talk to than a clown like you … Like I said if you are not happy here p-leeeeeeze leave cause one would thnik you are actually the victim of apartheid the way you are moaning. Just wonder how you would survive under the real apartheid cause you cant even handle a little bit of AA, BEE ect……and all this maoning and crying it’s making me tired….please just faaarrk off ! ! !
4 Mar 2008, 15:20 pm
Like I said you’ve never met me so your stupid argument holds no credit!
The easiest thing to do when having you *** handed to you in an argument is shut up but some idiots,like yourself don’t seem to understand it!
Like I said in an earlier post I will never leave this country,I LOVE MY HOME TOO MUCH!
If you think that AA is a good thing that’s your problem.You obviously don’t see the damage it’s doing to our country! But hey that’s you and your Communist friends problems(see it’s easy to make assumptions about people)I have a great life and job here in SA so do “whatever blows your hair back”
I’m going now because if I wanted to hear from an ******* I would have farted and though you might have time to waste I have more important things to do than argue with some insignificant d00s!
4 Mar 2008, 15:36 pm
Hooker I really don’t want to know your type you sound like the 1980′s.
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