Tony de Zorzi’s journey from schoolboy cricketer at KES to captaining the under-19 Proteas team at a World Cup and now playing Test cricket has not been a long one, but it’s a trip where he has sponged off those who’ve been around him.
He tuned in intensely to the changeroom conversations, occasionally eavesdropping on coaches and senior players, listened to their stories of success but particularly the hard times they endured, and used those to build his game and character.
It is an aspect of the domestic game that is often forgotten. Yes, the standard of cricket on the domestic scene in South Africa might not be the highest but for young players there is value in being exposed to grizzled veterans even if not to face them or bowl to them, but just to listen. Short highlights from Day 1 of the second test between South Africa and the West Indies at the Wanderers in Johannesburg“At Western Province, we had Wayne Parnell and Kyle Verreynne who’ve both been playing for South Africa and spoke about the things you need to do to give yourself the best chance, technically and with your character,” he said after his maiden Test half-century and knock of 85 on day one of the second match against West Indies on Wednesday.
It’s not just what is required now. As with any young batter, who first tasted success at provincial level, De Zorzi, too, wondered when his chance would come to wear senior national colours. “There are moments where you might get impatient, but I played with a lot of senior guys, like Andrew Puttick and you hear some of those stories and it gives you a reality check.
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