Heinrich Klaasen enjoyed a good match behind the stumps, taking three catches, a smart stumping and scoring 59 against Zimbabwe in Paarl.
Klaasen told the press that it felt very nice to get his first ODI half-century under his belt, adding that ‘I would have liked to have some red ink around that as well, but for the first one I was very, very pleased’.
He admitted that he was frustrated to have been dismissed caught twice during the series pulling long hops.
‘I need to start hitting it in the middle at the back end, but there’s nothing technically or mentally wrong – next time I just need to hit it out of the middle of the bat!
‘I don’t think (the team plan) is about hitting the ball out of the ground it’s just a positive mindset but that means you have to graft a bit as well, like in the first two games as well. It’s not all about hitting fours and sixes – we need to play long innings and put pressure on the bowlers.’
He was also pleased to have performed well with the gloves, as he is keen to position himself as the next keeper in line behind the incumbent, Quinton de Kock.
‘Getting the gloves has given me confidence but for me it’s more about playing as a batter than a keeper. My whole life I have been a guy that batted five, six or seven so I am quite accustomed to that role (as a finisher) and I also feel that is a place where you need different types of cricket in your own game as well, either if you need to graft a bit to get your team out of trouble or if you need to go at eight runs an over. I think my game suits those roles and I’ve been doing that for my whole career so I feel like its filtering into my game,’ added Klaasen.
Photo: Rodger Bosch/AFP/Getty Images
