4-day Franchise series wrap: No one’s laughing at Ashwell Prince now…

The Proteas’ poor batting displays on the sub-continent has brought into focus who might be suitable candidates to score runs at international level should the current crop fail to live up to expectations.

And, almost appropriately, this week’s round of fixtures in the four-day Franchise series showcased the potential of quite a few exciting youngsters and stalwarts.

But we also learned a few other things too.

Kyle Verreynne justifies his coach’s hype

Earlier this year, despite the Proteas’ World Cup squad being all but done and dusted, Cape Cobras coach Ashwell Prince made a startling call.

The former Proteas Test star wanted his now 22-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman, Kyle Verreynne, to be Quinton de Kock’s backup at the showpiece in England … even without any prior international experience.

Entertainingly (and perhaps quite justifiably) he blamed then national coach Ottis Gibson for not paying much attention to the performers at franchise level.

Verreynne indeed enjoyed a fine season with the bat in all formats and, pleasingly, he’s gone on a run spree in these early stages of the new season.

Following a fighting 50 in a losing cause against the Lions in Potch, the compact right-hander dominated the Titans attack in Benoni, striking brilliant twin centuries – 155 and 115.

Nobody’s laughing at Prince anymore.

Cobras 338 (Kyle Verreynne 155, Pieter Malan 120, Corbin Bosch 5/69, Junior Dala 4/58) and 348 (Kyle Verreynne 115, Jason Smith 53, Pieter Malan 48, Tshepo Moreki 4/98, Neil Brand 3/56) drew with Titans 472 (Farhaan Behardien 140, Wesley Marshall 109, Dayaan Galiem 81, Dane Paterson 7/91) and 89/6 (Dane Paterson 2/24).

Mulder continues to give off Kallis vibes

Wiaan Mulder of South Africa delivers the ball during day 2 of the 2nd Castle Lager Test match between South Africa and Sri Lanka at St George’s Park on February 22, 2019 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. (Photo by Isuru Sameera Peiris/Gallo Images)

Wiaan Mulder is one of those refreshingly clear-sighted cricketers.

There’s no “I’ll do whatever the teams wants from me” or “I’ll figure out what player I am” talk from the 21-year-old Highveld Lions star.

He’s stated more than once that he’s a batting all-rounder and that will be his focus.

Mulder recently tamed India A’s attack to the tune of an unbeaten 131 and boasts a first-class average in excess of 40.

This week, he also hit a fluent 46 in difficult conditions against the Warriors in PE.

Yet Mulder continues to tease with some excellent spells of seam bowling too.

He took 4/36 in 14.3 overs to keep the hosts in check, but only bowled three deliveries in the second innings, which hampered his side badly.

Nonetheless, runs and spells spell a Jacques Kallis in the making.

Highveld Lions 152 (Rassie van der Dussen 68, Wiaan Mulder 46, Lutho Sipamla 4/57) and 217 (Dwaine Pretorius 71, Nicky van den Bergh 44, Lutho Sipamla 4/53, Onke Nyaku 3/41) lost to Warriors 206 (Jon-Jon Smuts 61, Eddie Moore 38, Wiaan Mulder 4/36) and 166/7 (Matthew Breetzke 59, Onke Nyaku 58*, Malusi Siboto 4/47) by three wickets.

Experience ‘races’ youth in Bloemfontein

Raynard van Tonder of the VKB Knights during day 1 of the CSA 4 Day Series match between VKB Knights and Warriors at Diamond Oval on October 07, 2019 in Kimberley, South Africa. (Photo by Louis Botha/Gallo Images)

Knights captain Pite van Biljon bluntly admits that, at 33, he doesn’t want to see himself as too much of a senior player.

Instead, he tries to keep up with the talented youngsters within the franchise’s ranks.

Yet when you have to emulate a star in the making like former SA under-19 skipper Raynard ‘Razor’ van Tonder, you’ve got a tough task ahead of you.

Van Tonder silkily compiled an impressive 165 on a great pitch in Kimberley against the Dolphins.

Van Biljon was unperturbed, passing his young teammate to compile a marathon 218, his highest first-class score.

It forms part of a sequence of scores that proving to be very encouraging.

More importantly, 33-year-old Van Biljon is the type of experience the franchise system needs to keep it competitive.

Dolphins 370 (Marques Ackerman 88, Rob Frylinck 78, Khaya Zondo 63, Gerald Coetzee 4/61, Corne Dry 3/75) and 219/6 (Cody Chetty 90*, Sibonelo Makhanya 39, Pat Kruger 2/23) drew with Knights 519/8 dec (Pite van Biljon 218, Raynard van Tonder 165, Prenelan Subrayen 5/124).

Next week’s fixtures: (Monday to Thursday) Warriors v Titans in Port Elizabeth, Dolphins v Cobras in Pietermaritzburg, Knights v Highveld Lions in Kimberley.

For more sport your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.