Western Province have called up SA U19 captain Beni Hansen to their squad for the Cricket SA 1-Day Cup clash against the Warriors.
Image: Supplied
Western Province have injected a bundle of youthful energy into their squad in the hope of turning around their woeful 1-Day Cup campaign.
The defending champions went through last season’s 1-Day Cup campaign unbeaten but now find themselves rooted to the bottom of the table with just one victory in five games.
The last straw was Friday’s embarrassing 194-run defeat to the Dolphins at Newlands.
While Province have undoubtedly been affected by long-term injuries to senior seam bowlers Nandre Burger and Beuran Hendricks, along with opening batter Tony de Zorzi being on international duty with the Proteas at the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan, Salieg Nackerdien’s team have still underperformed to leave them perilously close to the relegation zone.
They are also now without premier allrounder George Linde, who has travelled to Pakistan as an official reserve for the Proteas’ ICC Champions Trophy squad on Monday.
Nackerdien has therefore called up current SA Schools and SA U19 captain Beni Hansen to the WP squad for the trip to Gqeberha to face the Warriors at St George’s Park on Wednesday.
Hansen is a top-order batter and wicket-keeper, although he is unlikely to take the gloves with captain Kyle Verreynne still available.
Beni Hansen receives his Western Province U19 cap from WP CEO Corrie van Zyl and WP President Johannes Adams last year.
Image: Supplied: Wynberg Boys High School Facebook
The former Wynberg Boys High School prodigy is joined by Western Province Colts duo Josh Breed and Oliver Whitehead.
Breed is uncapped, while 20-year-old Whitehead has played just one match in all three formats for Province before. Whitehead was also part of the SA U19 squad, which contained Kwena Maphaka and Lhuan-dre Pretorius, at last year’s ICC Men’s U19 World Cup in South Africa.
The trio will hope to learn from experienced players such as Dane Paterson, who believes Province can gain a much-needed victory in Gqeberha.
“The team is disappointed after last week’s loss and all other matches we didn’t do well in,” said Paterson.
“But they just came from a loss as well and they are the team that brings the fight to you, so it won’t be an easy task. We know what team they are but we believe in our squad.
Experienced Western Province seamer Dane Paterson will need to guide a host of young players in Gqeberha on Wednesday.
Image: Backpagepix
“I think as a team we just need to bounce back and probably just do the basics for longer, and then just find ways on identifying where we can take wickets or where we can start scoring runs after building and absorbing pressure.
“Winning the game in Gqeberha will boost our confidence, we know we are playing on Wednesday, and we have another big one on Sunday against Boland, so it will help us finish the campaign on a high.”
Province have conceded over 300 runs in their last three matches and Paterson concedes that the bowling unit has to deliver better performances, especially at the death.
“I think we’ve been lacking a bit because for 35 overs we are very good and then after 15 overs we start lacking a bit, so I think we have to be better in that department,” he said.
“As a bowling unit, we know it, and I think with us bowling first for four games I think we need to set the tone better.”
WP travelling squad to Gqeberha to face the Warriors
Jody Lawrence, Kyle Verreynne (C), Benjamin Hansen, Mthiwekhaya Nabe, Eddie Moore, Josh Breed, Valentine Kitime, Daniel Smith, Mihlali Mpongwana, Dane Paterson, Onke Nyaku, Kyle Simmonds, David Bedingham, Oliver Whitehead.
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