Every now and then in local club cricket in South Africa, a Proteas batsman, bowler or all-rounder turns out for a local amateur side.
This is often a spectacle for this privilege to witness it when a player with T20I, ODI or Test experience dons club kit and steps onto a humble community oval.
Here are some instances this has happened in the recent past.
Wayne Parnell, who has played all three formats of the international game, is associated with Montrose Cricket Club in Cape Town. His all-round talent boosted the resources of the Malta-Park based club in the southern suburbs. More recently, Parnell has played for Worcestershire in the T20 Blast in the United Kingdom and represented the Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League.
Cricket clubs are synonymous for off-field entertainment, too. Many have pool tables and a bar to have a quiet drink at. There can be dart boards and other forms of entertainment as well. Slot machines are often present. Of course, online slots frequently get played on the cricketers’ mobile phones. If not the cricket, then these types of games provide hours of entertainment.
Durbanville Cricket Club have two international cricketers at the moment. Pieter Malan opens the batting for the Proteas in Test cricket and brother Janneman Malan does so in limited-overs competition. Younger brother Janneman fell for a duck against Australia earlier this year, but then bounced back with a century to seal a series win for the hosts.
Durbanville Cricket Club also used to have Proteas spinner George Linde. But he has since moved to Brackenfell Cricket Club. Linde is an excellent bowler and can weigh in with valuable runs down the order – at club, provincial, franchise or international level.
Cape Town Cricket Club have a fresh Proteas star in Kyle Verreynne. The wicketkeeper-batsman from Wynberg Boys’ High School’s initial inclusion in the international arena took a while, but he is there now. He is a great alternative behind the stumps to Quinton de Kock, if needs be. Verreynne could inspire other Cape Town Cricket Club players to play higher, too. The club also has former Cape Cobras duo William Hantam and Brendan Young. Current Cobras leg-spinner Dyllan Matthews also plays for Cape Town Cricket Club.
Proteas pair Richard Levi and Graeme Smith played for Claremont Cricket Club back in the day. Both beefy opening batsman, they took the attack to bowlers at Claremont Cricket Club’s main oval in Constantia. Of course, the club is especially proud of Smith, who captained South Africa in international cricket for a long time.
Just down the road from Claremont Cricket Club, Western Province Cricket Club had Dane Vilas. Vilas spent a brief stint in the Proteas Test XI. He is arguably more famous for his contributions to English county cricket, though. Lancashire love having him around. He has also played in the Pakistan Super League and a few other domestic T20 competitions around the world, including the Mzansi Super League in South Africa. He was with the Durban Heat most recently.