by Abhai Sawkar Even though the last season came to an abrupt end, we’ve had a chance to see some of the brightest talents nationwide in the domestic circuit. Both the first-class and 50-over franchise tournaments couldn’t continue to the playoffs stage, but despite that, several players have benefited from a breakthrough year so far. The Eastern Cape based Warriors finished third on the Momentum One Day Cup log, and one of the most improved performers was the rising middle-order batsman Lesiba Ngoepe. Ngoepe scored the third-most runs for his side, stitching together 267 runs in 5 innings, boasting an impressive average above 50. The COVID-19 pandemic may have thrown a spanner in the works but regardless, it’s been a priceless experience for him. The Warriors may have missed out on a potential semifinal against the Knights, but there have been plenty of positives. “First of all, I think for the Warriors, the season was a bit up and down. Yeah, obviously with having two coaches in one season impacted that a little bit,” says Ngoepe. “I think in white-ball cricket we did pretty well, we were gaining momentum. Unfortunately, due to the coronavirus pandemic, we were knocked out. But it went well - personally, it was a slow start early on but picked up towards the end. It would’ve been nice to play throughout and see how we would’ve done. I feel we definitely were well-equipped to get to the semis [of the Momentum One Day Cup] and potentially the finals.” After a few games for Eastern Province, Ngoepe would be back in the thick of things for the Warriors in 50-over cricket. Scoring three consecutive half-centuries including a winning knock against the Titans were by far his favorite memories. “The highlights for me would definitely have to be the week spent in Johannesburg, where we ended up quite close against the Lions at the Wanderers. That’s where I got my personal best of 94 from 69, even though unfortunately we lost that game. A couple of days later we played the Titans, chasing around 330. I got 79 there, so it was a great week. That put us in a good position as a team.” Ngoepe’s beginnings were quite eventful. He learned much of the game in Gauteng, where he’s originally from. From humble beginnings to earning frequent opportunities at franchise level, he’s been all across the country. His promise was apparent from early on - he played for the national Under-19 side and even entered the franchise scene not long after. He’s been a mainstay for the Warriors for the better part of four years, and there’s been no looking back. “So I started playing cricket in Vosloorus, a township in the East Rand. I moved up the ranks in provincial cricket at Easterns, where I played from age 9 until 18. I got my first professional contract for Easterns in my matric year. I also played for South Africa U19, and then I got a two-year rookie contract with the Titans in 2012 and 2013. In 2014, I moved to Cape Town and played in a few games for the Cobras in 2016. Finally, I got a call from my ex-coach to move up to the Warriors that same year, and I’ve been there ever since.” Primarily a hard-hitting left-hander, Ngoepe offers a more-than-useful secondary skill in his left-arm spin. Given the abundance of spinners in the current Warriors setup, he hasn’t received very many chances to bowl, but that doesn’t mean it’s on the back burner. “Skill-wise, I like to consider myself an allrounder, a batting allrounder, to be specific. I’ve always bowled, but then again at the Warriors, there are a lot of left-arm spinners like Jon-Jon Smuts and Jade de Klerk for example. When I first got here, Simon Harmer, Colin Ackermann, and Colin Ingram were all there, all these guys offered some spin so I was further down the line. But now I’m looking to take my opportunity with the ball more. I’ve never neglected my bowling and I’ll take the chances with both hands as and when I get them going forward.” Now that he’s made telling progress, the next step will be vying for an entry towards the international stage. More recently, the Mzansi Super League has produced multiple international debutants, most of whom have gone on to create a favorable first impression. With the T20 World Cup in the not-too-distant future, the MSL will be the ideal platform for Ngoepe to showcase his abilities and throw his hat in the ring for more opportunities. Furthermore, he always likes to stay optimistic and have a “glass half full” outlook for what’s to come ahead. “My main goals for the next season is taking my game to the next level and getting higher honors, hopefully SA A. I’m fully confident that I’m capable of getting to those levels of cricket. It would be an honor to play in the MSL later this year. I’d love to win more silverware for the Warriors across all formats and contribute to the best of my ability with bat and ball.” While he’s continuing to thrive in the one-day format, his primary focus is molding himself well and becoming a regular in all forms of the game for the Warriors. He only played a couple of 4-day games last season, but he’s planning on making a greater impact come next season. He was unlucky to miss out on the first two MSLs, but with the tournament’s upsizing confirmed, he stands a likely chance. “My strongest format would be white-ball cricket. I haven’t played much T20 since I wasn’t drafted in the MSL, which was quite disappointing for me. I felt I needed to show my capabilities in white-ball cricket, which is what I’ve been aiming to do in order to get my team over the line. Then again I haven’t neglected my red-ball game, which I’m also looking to improve more and more.” During the transfer window, the Warriors recruited a few more improving young players, thus giving the much-needed balance and potential boost. With a robust team combined with youth and experience, Ngoepe is confident that his side will rebound to strong effect. “We have a very exciting new side, with a few new guys from other provinces and others that made a step up. I think we are very well-balanced, and I believe we are definitely capable of competing for more silverware in the coming season.” Now that lockdown regulations are slowly being lifted, it’s back to business. The extended period under restrictions has been a patience test for all, and Ngoepe has done well to maintain his concentration on what matters most: staying in good shape and adhering to the assigned fitness routines. Ultimately, the plan is to return to action whenever it’s safe enough, and he’s eagerly waiting for that moment to arrive. “Lockdown’s been quite tricky, especially when it comes to training. I’ve been trying to stay fit and going about our normal fitness programs that our trainer has allocated. Spending time with the family is always nice. It’s been okay, but it’s professional cricket - I need to look after myself well and I can’t wait to get back on the field.” With copious franchise cricket under his belt, Ngoepe’s next aim will be maintaining the momentum from last season and building on the solid platform he’s created so far. Since the beginning of the year, the Proteas have given chances to the up-and-coming players with immense potential. It’s yet another season, but there’ll be a lot riding on it.
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AuthorsAkseli Pitkänen Archives
September 2020
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