The Proteas’ selection decisions, including sending Ottneil Baartman (left) to New Zealand and Kwena Maphaka to the T20 World Cup, have sparked debate due to Baartman’s impressive form and Maphaka’s limited experience. Picture: ROBERT CIANFLONE / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP
Image: ROBERT CIANFLONE / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP
It’s quite baffling to see Ottneil Baartman shining for South Africa in a quite inconsequential T20I series against New Zealand, while Kwena Maphaka was sent to the T20 World Cup.
The 32-year-old Baartman starred with the ball with 2/22 against hosts New Zealand in Mount Maunganui on Sunday.
The Proteas bundled the Kiwis out for 91 before chasing down the small total with 3.2 overs to spare and seven wickets remaining.
The Proteas squad sent to New Zealand is largely experimental and inexperienced, with the exception of skipper Keshav Maharaj. This would have been an ideal opportunity to get five games under the belt for 19-year-old Maphaka, who probably should not have gone to the T20 World Cup.
Ahead of the global showpiece starting in February, South Africa announced their squad for the tournament in early January. Of course, Baartman’s name was missing, and Maphaka’s was there.
This was after Baartman was part of the Proteas squad for the five-match T20I series against hosts India in December, as Maphaka had been withdrawn. Baartman picked up five wickets across the three matches he played, which included 4/24 in the 2nd T20I, which South Africa won by 51 runs.
It was then on to the SA20, when Baartman ended as the leading wicket-taker with 20 wickets in nine matches. Maphaka, meanwhile, took just four wickets from eight matches.
The gulf in form between the two bowlers was clear for all to see, and the Proteas could have changed their squad before the end of January, which they did— but that was to their batting lineup, though injury-enforced.
Maphaka was also included in the West Indies T20I series in South Africa just before the World Cup, and he picked up one wicket across three games. In the T20 World Cup itself, Maphaka looked out of sorts (0/30) against minnows UAE on February 18 before a much-improved performance (2/21) against Zimbabwe on March 1.
Given the age difference between Maphaka and Baartman, it’s astounding that the elder statesman was not included in the World Cup with a view to including Maphaka much more in the future.
It goes back to the Proteas often going with players for the future in big matches or tournaments, instead of players for right now. Time is not on the side of Baartman, and there’s a good chance he won’t be anywhere close to the kind of form he is right now for the next World Cup, and once again it looks like the Proteas made the wrong call.
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