Far from the more glamour Tests underway in England, South African express pacer Kwena Maphaka is ushering in the new batch of Proteas quicks, and at the receiving end are Zimbabwe.
On the second day of the first Test in Bulwayo, with most of the WTC winning Proteas fighters still resting up, and a brand new squad under Keshav Maharaj taking the field, two quick bowlers have left Zimbabwe dizzy.
Zimbabwe opener Brian Bennett was struck on his helmet first, and ended up returning to a concussion, and later 38-year-old Sean Williams, batting calmly was jolted with another struke onbhis helmet crest. Both times it was the new Proteas pace sensation – Kwena Maphaka, who though still wicketless is raising speed temperatures.
It was the finest way to ring in Dale Steyn’s birthday. But the searing pacer is tipped by coach Shukri Conrad to realise his full potential only in “three to four years time.”
Wiaan Mulder (4/50), a WTC winner, told Cape Argus that the 19-year-old carried an X factor that was hard to overlook. “I think Kwena is learning quite quickly as he’s going,” Mulder was quoted as sayinv by Cape Argus. “I think international cricket is super difficult, so if you’re not going to be able to land it in an area that hits the top of the stumps more often than not, no matter how much the ball is moving, guys are going to score, especially good players like Sean Williams.
“They’re going to keep scoring all the time, and I think that’s the only challenge for Kwena is how can he take that X factor and the balls in between, keep going at maybe one run or a couple of dots in between.
“We all know he’s going to be a superstar, to be honest with you, and I saw a stat yesterday that he’s 19 years and 81 days or something. He’s honestly still way behind the years in many ways. I’m 27 now, so I can say that, but I think he’s going to be an exceptional bowler.
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There’s just something special about him. When you face him in the nets, there’s just something. The ball’s always moving, it’s super fast.”
Maphaka debuted in December 2024 and his first Test wicket in a 4-fer against Pakistan was Babar Azam.
While Zimbabwe aren’t the toughest of opponents in Tests, there’s always curiosity over the Proteas pace pack, and also coming through in the first Test is Lions’ Cody Yusuf, reminiscent of Morne Morkel and his accuracy.
“I’ve played with Cody at my domestic team at home, and, I mean, he’s been an inspiration for us. He literally bowls like that every single week,” Mulder was quoted.
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“He’s exceptional. He’s got the biggest heart. He doesn’t ever give up. And I think what you saw of him is just a glimpse of what we’ve seen at the Lions at home.
“I think he’s going to be an exceptional bowler going forward, and I’m super happy for him because he’s one of those guys that the way he approaches the game is not with all shouting and abusing people and, you know, ultimate aggression and, you know, all the fluff, I’d say.
“He does it week in, week out, just with his heart, and he just bowls with everything he has.”
Yusuf, 27, is an old-school cricketer described by cricket.one as, “Yusuf is no express tearaway but he hits that awkward length with consistency and offers just enough movement to keep batters second-guessing. He is especially dangerous with the older ball, using subtle variations and bounce off the deck.”
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Zimbabwe are chasing 505 to win after SA scored 418 and 359, and the hosts got 251 and 32/1 heading into Day 4.
