Jozi Stars opener Reeza Hendricks may have spent time with the national team recently but said it hasn’t changed the way he goes about his batting business.
On Friday evening‚ Hendricks rattled off an unbeaten 51-ball 104 that helped his team crush the struggling Durban Heat by 53 runs in their Mzansi Super League encounter at the Wanderers.
In both of their wins‚ the Stars have breached 200 on the back of significant contributions from one of their openers.
Where Ryan Rickelton fell short when he made 91 against the Paarl Rocks‚ Hendricks took on the baton and compiled the tournament’s first ton of 49 balls.
“Playing for the Proteas and coming back here does give you a great deal of confidence‚” Hendricks said.
“I don’t think anything has really changed because I’m trying to go about my batting business like I normally do. I think this game was one of those days where it was my day and everything came off.
While Hendricks was the fulcrum of the 230/3 the Stars ransacked off the hapless Heat attack‚ rumbustious contributions from Dan Christian‚ Rickelton and Rassie van der Dussen ensured their wasn’t the let up of pressure that helped fritter away a good start.
In Wednesday’s loss to the Tshwane Spartans‚ the Stars fell away in the middle overs.
On Friday‚ an unbridled assault on Tladi Bokako‚ whose second over went for 30‚ gave the Stars the necessary impetus to go past 200. Van Der Dussen hit four consecutive sixes as Bokako conceded 63 runs in his four-over spell.
He wasn’t alone in the obscene bowling figures stakes as Vernon Philander was tonked for 45 in three overs while Kyle Abbott was taken for 51 in his four.
“I think myself and Ryan Rickelton got off to a very good start and that sort of set the base for us to play‚” Hendricks said.
“Then there was a guy like Rassie van der Dussen who came in and took it away from them when he smashed it all over the park. It allowed me to play but Dan Christian also did well.
“It was my day to get the batting accolade but it was a very good batting display.
“In the Spartans game‚ we let ourselves down and we took the learnings from that game and we needed to execute better in this game.”
If the game was set up by the ferocious batting‚ Kagiso Rabada’s fiery opening over reduced the Heat to 4/3‚ breaking the back of the chase before it even began.
Rabada had Hashim Amla caught at slip‚ Keshav Maharaj caught at gully and Heinrich Klaasen comprehensively castled for a golden duck with what could be one of the balls of the tournament. Rabada‚ who finished with 4/27‚ said he’s still trying to find his best form.
“The batters batted very well and they put the runs on the board. It’s not always you feel that you’re at your best and in this game.
“I didn’t feel that I was at my best but things went for me. I was looking to put in a good performance for the team just like everybody else‚” Rabada said.