by Abhai Sawkar We’ve seen and heard several success stories in the South African domestic circuit, with some players rapidly rising through various age-group ranks to reaching the topmost layer in franchise cricket. On the other hand, others have taken a relatively adventurous and eclectic approach to eventually making their first appearance in the professional scene. Seam-bowling allrounder Ari Karvelas has taken part in the two recent seasons for Gauteng, but much of the time leading up to his provincial debut was spent in the UK. His skill and ability was apparent early on, and that earned him a shot at playing for the MCC Young Cricketers, a prestigious club with a track record of nurturing some of the brightest talents towards the much-coveted big break. He has been a vital feature for Tunbridge Wells CC in the Kent Premier League, and consistent all-round performances have Karvelas credits the experiences from MCC YC as well as the Kent Premier League, since both have been instrumental in his development into the professional cricketer he is now. “So far in my career I have played 5 cricket seasons in the UK. Playing for the MCC Young Cricketers and the Kent 2nd XI provided the opportunity for me to work alongside and learn from many experienced coaches and players,” said Karvelas. “This majorly helped me up-skill in many aspects of my game. Their advice on and off the field was invaluable. The experience also helped me advance my understanding of what it takes to be a professional cricketer, the sacrifices you have to make and the hard work that has to be put in. Conditions in the UK differ from home mainly in terms of the pace of the pitch. The pitches are slower in the UK so in order to adapt to the conditions and bowl fuller. Playing on differing conditions has given me the skill to adapt quicker.” In addition to the UK, Karvelas’ resume includes grade cricket in Australia and club cricket in Ireland. Playing in Australia helped him get accustomed to the rigor and endurance of the longer format and regularly bowling longer spells. It wasn’t always easy spending long periods of time away from family, but the adjustment was rather smooth. “I have also played cricket in Australia and Ireland. My time in Australia was really awesome. I played for Unley Cricket Club and also had the privilege of training at the Darren Lehmann Academy in Adelaide which was an amazing opportunity. Starting to play in Australia was the start of being away from home for 18 months but luckily I was looked after by an amazing family who made me feel very at home. The conditions in Australia were also different from home which required a lot of adapting to initially. In Australia you play two-day cricket over two Saturdays which was my first experience of playing a longer format of cricket and bowling a significantly higher amount of overs than I was used to. This made sure I was well prepared when I started playing longer format cricket in SA.” Karvelas made his professional debut for his home provincial team, Gauteng, in the 2018-19 CSA One-Day Challenge. It might’ve been a relatively late start at 24, but with the CV of playing in various conditions around the world, he was more than ready to take on any challenges in store. “It was an absolute privilege to make my first-class debut and I was very grateful that Coach Sandile gave me the opportunity. Being part of the Gauteng team is something I had been working towards for years. Working towards my debut took endless hours of extra work with my club coach Tyrone Peters. Our philosophy was, ‘If you want to be there, you have to train as if you were there’. He would be on the field with me every day putting in the hours every day and I am very grateful to have had him there pushing me. My mindset since debuting has been to keep working even harder than I have before. Working on my mind, my strength and continuing up-skilling in all aspects of the game. I also make a conscious effort to absorb as much information from all coaches and players I work and play with.” Bowling has been the stronger suit for Karvelas, and he admired accuracy as well as aggressive out-and-out pace bowling. Two of the best in the business have been of ample inspiration, and he’s always compelled to make a positive impact. Hardly a couple weeks after his 50-over debut, he got a first-class debut against North West, and that was one to remember. A tremendous six-wicket haul in his first innings drove Gauteng to eventually enforce a follow-on, scripting an easy win. The strong sense of discipline, the preparedness to learn fast, and the will to build on the early momentum created have been key to his burgeoning career. “Growing up my childhood heroes were Allan Donald and Glenn McGrath. What I loved about them was their relentlessness to be at the batsman constantly. I loved Allan Donald’s fiery nature and his aggression with the ball. I loved Glenn McGrath’s consistency to hit the same area and his skills were always beautiful to watch. Now being able to take the field with some of the Imperial Lions players, a lot of them are motivational figures because of their hard work and dedication. I see them professionally and I see them put in the extra hours. My favourite cricket memory to date on a personal aspect was taking a five-wicket haul on my first-class debut. It was a huge privilege and a great feeling to contribute to the win in my first game and to see the hard work paying off. My favourite team memory to date is winning the league with my club side Jeppe Quondam Cricket Club. The Club and team had worked countless hours together to get to that point and it was the first time in 26 years that the Club had won the league.” After a solid inaugural season, Karvelas has continued from where he left off. While he’s known to be a reliable pace spearhead, Karvelas has been diligently working on his lower-order batting. A priceless unbeaten cameo of 27 from 21 balls with three powerful sixes against Easterns clinched a tense victory in this year’s provincial 50-over cup. Adding to his aptitude has made him a more versatile cricketer, game by game. In addition, he took his first 50-over five-wicket haul when Gauteng convincingly routed Boland, bowling them out for 48. After 12 games, his economy rate is at a respectable 4. There’s no doubt that Karvelas has got off to a fiery start, but more importantly, the early success is keeping him humble. “I’ve really enjoyed the past season as it’s been a valuable season in terms of experience. I have worked hard on my fitness and strength and learnt many new skills. I’m extremely happy with my one-day match performances this season, as it was my aim to make a big improvement on my white ball skills and I feel I did just that. One of my highlights this season was taking my first List A five-wicket haul against Boland in October. I have also been pleased that I could make contributions with the bat this season, as my batting is something that I continue to work hard on to keep improving. I scored both my First-class and List A high scores this season. However there is still more room for improvement in all aspects of my game.” With an enterprising start under his belt, Karvelas is aiming for an opening in franchise cricket as well as the Mzansi Super League, both of which provide a rewarding experience and a shot at higher honors. That being said, he’s planning on retaining and maximizing his regularity. The step up from provincial to franchise is a steep one, and it’s all about mental toughness and the urge to drive the extra mile. “My main goals for the 2020-2021 season are to make my debut for the Imperial Lions and play in the MSL. I want to make sure I put in consistent match-winning performances for every team I play for and make sure I contribute to the winning of many trophies. Personally, this season I will focus on building on strength and fitness. That’s what it will take to be the leading wicket-taker in the provincial competitions.” At the moment, Karvelas is in the UK, and the COVID-19 threat has been powerful. With strict measures in place, he’s found a way to adjust in order to maintain his shape. In fact, he has an array of choices to pick from, and it’s helped him to good effect so far. “With regards to staying fit, I have been using a number of fitness apps over the last couple of months. I use them everyday to do home workouts. As I am currently in the UK, we are allowed out for a maximum of an hour’s physical activity every day. I have been trying to maximise on that by running and keeping up my cardio fitness. To keep my mind healthy I have been doing as much yoga as possible. I have also been practicing the Wim Hof method for over a year now. This involves getting in freezing cold showers every day, which isn’t so easy in the UK. But I stick to it though, because it really helps my breathing and peace of mind. It’s also a personal challenge everyday.” Karvelas’ cricketing story of familiarizing himself with various conditions adds further emphasis to the fact that there are multiple methods to strive for excellence and reach full potential. The robust first impression he’s created has bolstered him with a critical headstart.
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September 2020
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