Protea leaders praise the unfashionable but bold Bjorn

While there were more prominent performers in the Proteas’ excellent nine-wicket win over India on Sunday, which meant the T20 series was shared, the leadership group made special mention of Bjorn Fortuin.

The 24-year-old left-arm spinner from the Highveld Lions, who made his debut in the second match of the series last week, delivered a typically canny spell to end with figures of 2/19 from three overs.

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Fortuin is hardly a prodigious turner of the ball, but he compensates for that with intelligence and the ability to adapt.

That approach has largely been shaped by the fact that he’s used to opening the bowling in T20s, which naturally also means he has to cope with the powerplay, where only two fielders are allowed outside the circle.

Fortuin elevated his game in that regard last season, where he consistently kept a lid on things and even snapped up wickets, be it for Paarl Rocks in the Mzansi Super League (MSL) or the Lions in the domestic T20.

“I’m very impressed with Bjorn,” said Proteas skipper Quinton de Kock, who starred with an unbeaten 79.

“For a young, upcoming spinner to come into a team where we know the conditions are challenging because the Indians play spin so well, and do what he did is encouraging.

“The way he mixed up his pace, I can only praise him. I’m very happy for him.”

A man more intimately familiar with Fortuin’s rise over the past few years is Lions teammate and South Africa’s vice-captain, Rassie van der Dussen.

And he believes the MSL, despite it’s relatively low profile, deserves credit for its contribution to the development of players.

“The MSL has given the local guys the platform to show what they can do against world-class players. Bjorn is a bowler for the big occasion,” said Van der Dussen.

“We’ve seen it a lot of times back home and maybe now the international crowds are seeing that. It was a clear plan against Pant. When he tries to go for boundaries, he looks at long-on, cow corner for the slog-sweep. So when he tries to attack, the spinners also try to attack and Bjorn executed that plan perfectly.”

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