Proteas’ brilliant Breetzke has more to achieve

The only blight on Matthew Breetzke’s maiden international hundred, was the TV commentary. 

New Zealander Danny Morrison managed to be even worse than Ian Botham when Hashim Amla became the first South African to make a Test triple hundred in 2012. At least Botham was watching the game and only wondered about a missed catch, unlike Morrison who was so desperate to get in an ad about heaven knows what, that Breetzke’s landmark was reduced to an aside.

Sadly for Breetzke whenever he looks up one of the great highlights of his career, it will be accompanied by Morrison’s mindless musing. Hopefully there are enough memories from his on-field celebrations and the South African changeroom to provide a purer perspective. 

Breetzke has long been seen as a talent who is suited to the international stage. He was part of the 2018 under-19 World Cup squad that also contained Gerald Coetzee and Raynard van Tonder. 

It was his elegant play through the offside that captured the eye. He drives through and over the cover region in a manner befitting the great batting stylists. There is an easy flow, a perpendicular blade and an attractive flourish that has viewers wanting more. 

Monday’s innings of 150 against New Zealand on his ODI debut didn’t feature as many of those drives as perhaps an innings in South Africa would. Breetzke afterwards described a ‘tacky’ pitch, one on which the ball was ‘holding’ and thus forced him to play more on the leg-side. 

He managed that well and in doing so, showed a part of his batting that will hold him in good stead for the future. 

Much was recently made in the SA20 of young batters’ inability to adjust to conditions and the match situation. Both Stephen Fleming of the Joburg Super Kings and Robin Peterson of the eventual champions, MI Cape Town, questioned young players’ ability to absorb pressure and change tactics. 

Fleming spoke of the fewer first-class matches young batters are exposed to these days as the major reason. Breetzke explained how he chose to start his innings carefully, rather than being gung-ho in his approach.

“Those first 10 overs were very hard and I just wanted to get through that period, and later on I thought I could catch up.” 

The 50-over format allows for that, much more so than the T20 game does. Nevertheless, there are parts of the approach he used on Monday that can certainly be transferred to the shortest format and it wouldn’t come as a surprise if that was mentioned to him by the coaching staff. 

“I take my pride in my white ball cricket and I’ve done nicely in T20 cricket,” he said. 

As is becoming increasingly the case in South African cricket, it’s the SA20 in which Breetzke drew the most attention. Last season he was the third-highest run-scorer in the competition, with his aggregate of 416 runs only bettered by Heinrich Klaasen (447) and Ryan Rickelton (530). 

Having played 10 T20 Internationals after making his debut against Australia in September 2023, the 26-year-old got his opportunity on Monday, as part of the mix and match squad, Rob Walter was forced to select, because of the SA20. 

Breetzke struggled in the competition this year only scoring 117 runs in seven innings, so the timing of Monday’s effort is crucial for his progress. He is only the fourth South African to make a century on their ODI debut, joining Colin Ingram, his captain Temba Bavuma and Reeza Hendricks in a select group. 

More impressively, his 150 is the highest score by a debutant, eclipsing the legendary West Indies opener Desmond Haynes, who made 148 against Australia in 1978.

Breetzke isn’t in the Proteas squad for the Champions Trophy so will head home later this week, where his next assignment is likely to be for his provincial side the Warriors, in the One-Day Challenge. 

That competition now looms as an important one for him, to build on his historic achievement in Lahore. As Walter seeks to widen the base of players for the Proteas with an eye on the 2027 World Cup, Breetzke has thrust his name into the hat as a contender for a spot.