Abbott taking nothing for granted
Kyle Abbott has spent most of his international career on the outside looking in, getting a match here and there when injuries have necessitated it.
|||Cape Town - Kyle Abbott has spent most of his international career on the outside looking in, getting a match here and there when injuries have necessitated it. He’s been an easy man to drop, partly because he’s such a good fellow who will accept disappointment with a brave smile before getting right behind his team.
So when a journalist asked him on Wednesday how it felt to be the de facto leader of the Proteas’ T20 attack in the last eight months, Abbott – who knows how quickly things can change – immediately shot back that “nothing’s settled in a cricket team”.
It was a revealing remark because even now, there’s nothing written in stone about the 28-year-old’s future international career. It also suggested that Abbott takes nothing for granted, a healthy attitude when you know that injury, bad luck and loss of form can quickly relegate a player to the outer reaches.
Nevertheless, it’s true that the paceman – partly because of injuries to Vernon Philander and Dale Steyn – has enjoyed an extended run of matches for his country, particularly at T20 level.
Having played his first T20 international three years ago, he’s now played half of his 16 T20 matches for the Proteas since July last year in consecutive series against Bangladesh, New Zealand, India and England.
“I’m a bowler who likes to bowl a lot and get into a rhythm. It’s always been tough for me to play a match here and there. So to get an extended run has really bolstered my confidence.
“I’m learning every game and as a bowling unit I think we’ve done well. To be at the front of it is nerve-wracking at times but it’s also very satisfying when you come out on top defending at the end or striking up front.”
Abbott paid tribute to bowling coach Charl Langeveldt.
“He’s been very good with us, particularly at the death. We’re always looking to stop momentum at the back of an innings. It’s a massive part of the game.
“We’ve got a lot of experienced T20 bowlers in the group right now. Immy (Imran Tahir) is one of the best T20 bowlers in the world and Morrie (Chris Morris) and Dave (Wiese) have played a lot of T20 cricket. We know what’s expected of us at various times in the game and it’s been working for us recently.”
Abbott welcomed the return of kingpin Dale Steyn after his two-month injury layoff. “Dale’s been phenomenal for us for so long. He’s played a lot of cricket in India, and a lot of cricket against the Aussies.
“Having him around again always brings a smile to our faces as we listen to some of his stories from his injury break!”
Abbott began his T20 career by bowling aggressively up front and then bowling yorkers at the death. With the game having moved on so quickly, has he felt the need to add to his armoury?
“Definitely. Batting’s progressed now from the guy standing still and trying to hit you down the ground to the guy who is looking to hit you for six over the keeper. The batters are certainly taking the game forward and over the last couple of years I’ve had to try to keep up.
“It’s been hard work spending hours in the nets to get those various deliveries working, but that’s what I’ve needed to do.
“A lot of the time (the kind of delivery to bowl) boils down to a gut feeling at the top of your run-up. AB (de Villiers) and Faf (du Plessis) are very good at helping to narrow the options to maybe one or two different balls and then it’s a matter of committing to it. At the end of the day, however, it’s all about execution. If you bowl it right you’ll get away with it.”
Cape Argus