Wayne Parnell has quietly gone about his business in a reliably controlled manner since returning to the national team after his self-imposed Kolpak exile.
Cape Town – Lungi Ngidi may well have deservedly garnered all the accolades from Sunday’s win over India in Perth, but it is Wayne Parnell that is fast becoming the unsung hero of the Proteas bowling attack.
Parnell has quietly gone about his business in a reliably controlled manner since returning to the national team after his self-imposed Kolpak exile.
The contrast is discernible from the always-talented but inconsistent Parnell that spent years touring with the Proteas but only playing intermittently prior to his exit.
The time away, coupled with a new-found maturity both on and off the field, allowed him to hone his skills in the various T20 leagues around the world which has given birth to a cricketer that is now in control of his emotions and skills. And the end product is only to the Proteas’ benefit.
Parnell has played 11 T20Is since being welcomed back into the fold and has claimed 15 wickets, with a maiden career five-wicket haul included, at an average of 20.06 and economy of 7.52 in comparison to his previous career numbers of 25.31 at 8.31.
The 33-year-old has often felt under-appreciated in Proteas teams of the past, having made his T20I debut back in 2009 already as a scrawny teenager, but he now finally seems to have found a dressing room where his ability and input is valued.
“I think it’s important for us to set the tone (upfront with the new ball). I think Wayne’s been doing it now for a lot of games since he’s joined us again,” Markram said of Parnell.
“He’s got that experience and he’s got that calmness of knowing how to set the tone with the bowler and according to his own personal skill sets. We’ve enjoyed having him back.”
Parnell’s overall value to the Proteas unit stretches beyond just his bowling. His left-arm variation is, of course, an added bonus, but it is also his tactical acumen that he brings.
It is oft forgotten that Parnell was considered a leader from his teenage years already, which he showed when guiding the Junior Proteas, which included the likes of Rilee Rossouw and Reeza Hendricks, to the ICC Under-19 World Cup final against Virat Kohli’s Indian team in Kuala Lumpur in 2008.
Furthermore, Parnell has been a breath of fresh air at Western Province, leading the Cape side to the semi-finals of the CSA Division T20 Knockout Challenge last season. WP have been rudderless at this year’s competition in Potchefstroom in his absence and among the also-rans of the competition.
With the stakes only set to get higher as the T20 World Cup approaches the business end, it is this vast experience that the Proteas will be relying on from Parnell.
