Straight talkers were — and possibly still are — frowned upon in South African cricket. So when Heinrich Klaasen in February spelt out his feelings about selection and how that process was managed it understandably ruffled feathers at Cricket SA.
“I know [the team’s media manager] gave me gears about that answer, but it was a time that we had to be honest,” Klaasen said on Saturday in Mumbai about his response to a question asked eight months ago.
It’s worth reflecting on that answer because it helps to understand Klaasen’s ridiculous form in the limited overs formats this year, that at the weekend culminated in a courageous century against England at a crucial time in the match.
In the middle of the ODI series earlier in the year against England, Klaasen was asked about how he appeared to be playing without fear and with greater clarity as part of a broader South African strategy.
“I don’t think everyone will be consistent, so that is why when it is your day then you must take the team over the line,” Klaasen said at the time.
“That’s where the coaches and the players will keep buying into the plan. Hopefully we will get backing throughout this, because if we are going to play that way, the consistency will be up and down. Some days it will look bad and other days it will be great.
“That’s the challenge for the management and selectors, if they want to keep the consistency in the players, so we can play that way, the players need to believe and ride that wave. To play the brand of cricket is not the issue; it’s, will you be dropped? Will you keep your position when you fail?”
It may seem fairly harmless now, but it is worth recalling that at the time Rob Walter and Shukri Conrad were new in their roles as head coaches. Victor Mpitsang was chief selector, though he would be axed a few weeks later. Walter, Conrad, Temba Bavuma and T20 captain Aiden Markram have since assumed responsibility for selection under the watch of director of cricket Enoch Nkwe.
On Saturday, a smiling Klaasen provided further perspective, given the passage of time, and where the players in the national team find themselves now.
“It was more a message to the coaches to back us when we want to play brave cricket,” he said.
“To be fair, since then and a bit before that, the selection has been quite consistent and you can see it in the way the boys are playing. The same group of guys are still here now after a few years. So the consistency was there.”
The most critical aspect is trust. For too long generations of Proteas players felt they couldn’t trust whatever panel of selectors was in place at the time. Whether it be the racial composition of squads and starting teams or the balance of various combinations, players have for many years been mystified about selection policies.
It is understood that in the SA Cricketers' Association survey regarding the domestic game presented to Cricket SA last week, selection policies are high on the agenda of players’ concerns.
The way Klaasen explained it on Saturday, at least as far as it pertains to the current group of Proteas, selection is clearer.
“The boys are on board and the coaches are on board. That's why we're playing, I believe, good cricket at the moment.”
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