David Bedingham wants ‘shot at playing Test cricket’ in New Zealand

David Bedingham cricketDavid Bedingham.

Western Province and Durham batsman David Bedingham has reiterated ambition to play international cricket for the Proteas.

Bedingham is the sixth-highest run-scorer in this year’s County Championship – and has been contracted by Western Province ahead of South Africa’s 2023-24 domestic season.

Earlier this year, he expressed ambition to play for South Africa over England.

He has not been named in a preliminary squad for the SA20 in early 2024. Next year’s SA20 will coincide with the Proteas’ tour of New Zealand.

“I’d be very happy to travel to New Zealand and, hopefully, get a shot at playing some Test cricket,” said Bedingham.

“It’s always been my dream to play at the highest level so, if they came calling I would definitely not turn it down.

“I’ve looked at the South African Test schedule and, if I did get picked, I think I would only miss August for Durham, which is basically just the One-Day Cup now, so it wouldn’t be a massive train smash.”

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The 29-year-old Bedingham is averaging 50.10 after 78 matches since 2013’s first-class debut. His last five first-class innings have yielded three centuries.

Last week, he struck 102 off 54 balls for Durham against Sussex in the One-Day Cup.

“I like playing one-day cricket and T20 cricket, and I love playing first-class cricket for Durham, but if I had to give one of them up it would probably be the one-day game,” he added.

“I still want to play as much first-class cricket as possible for Durham but South Africa’s Test schedule now, with the SA20, is a lot less, something like six Tests a year.

“I think it should be a lot more but that’s just how it is so, hopefully it wouldn’t interrupt Durham as much as it could have.”

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