McKenzie not done yet
JOBURG - Neil McKenzie one of the best cricketers to come out of King Edward VII still has more to offer for the game of cricket
Following a title-winning season in the domestic four-day series with the Bizhub Highveld Lions, Neil McKenzie, a former King Edward VII pupil, is still hungry for more success in the shorter version of the game despite his recent resignation from the sport.
The right-handed batsman, who made his international debut for the Proteas in July 2000 against Sri Lanka, has since played 58 tests and 64 One Day Internationals (ODI) for the green and gold. During a test match against Bangladesh on 29 February 2008, McKenzie was involved in a world record first wicket partnership of 415 with his fellow King Edward VII schoolmate Graeme Smith.
McKenzie recently retired from first-class cricket after winning the four-day domestic series with the Lions, and will now focus on the short format of the game. McKenzie said he still has one more season to go but has already started planning for life after cricket with a couple of opportunities as a batting coach.
The Lions lost two crucial players in Quinton de Kock and Chris Morris to their rivals The Unlimited Titans. Referring to this, McKenzie said, “It’s a big loss for the team and, of course, they have been good for us, but the guys are ready for the upcoming season and, hopefully, they can produce the results.”
McKenzie also added that a big thank you should go to Johannesburg schools such as King Edward VII, where he went, and St Stithians College for producing some quality young cricketers, with the latest of those players being Kagiso Rabada, Themba Bavuma and Quinton de Kock.
Do you think Neil can continue for a few more seasons? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
Listen to an exclusive interview with the legend Neil McKenzie:
https://soundcloud.com/user528046609/neil-mckenzie
