Grade 11 schoolboy Kwena Maphaka was delighted after making his first-class debut on day one of South Africa A’s unofficial Test against Sri Lanka A.
EXCITEMENT always arrives in town at the same time as a new fast bowler.
And even more so when he is just 17 years old, only in Grade 11, and hails from the same school as Proteas great Kagiso Rabada.
That was the expectation on the shoulders of left-arm seamer Kwena Maphaka when the St Stithians pupil flew to Sri Lanka last week to replace injured Proteas Test bowler Lutho Sipamla in the South Africa A squad for a two-match “Test” series.
Even more remarkable was the fact that the teenager had yet to play a single first-class match for the Lions and had not even participated in a match that was longer than two days.
But Proteas Test coach Shukri Conrad, who is overseeing the A team’s tour, had seen something special in young Maphaka during his time with the SA Under-19 team last year.
He, therefore, had no hesitation in calling up the youngster – much to the delight of Maphaka – and then playing him in the first “Test” that started in Dambulla on Monday.
“It was actually during a break at school when my cellphone rang. It was just crazy, crazy,” Maphaka said from Sri Lanka shortly after his debut where he took a credible 2/43.
“I couldn’t believe it. I had absolutely no idea that I was going to be called up. It was a major surprise. I just kept on smiling after that. My mates were asking all the time why I was smiling so much. I just told them that I’ll tell them next week.
“I’ve got a really good relationship with coach Shukri. We really connected while we were together at the SA Under-19s, and I was actually a bit sad when he left for the Proteas Test side, but to join up with him again so quickly is really cool.”
Maphaka was a bundle of nerves when captain Tony de Zorzi threw him the ball for the first time, especially as Sri Lankan openers Lasith Croospulle and Lahiru Udara had made a solid start against new-ball bowlers Lizaad Williams and Gerald Coetzee.
But the youngster settled down quickly to claim his maiden first-class wicket when he brought about a much-needed breakthrough for SA A by trapping Udara LBW for 48.
He showed sufficient stamina to come back for a second spell later in the day and gained further success by bowling Lakshitha Manasinghe.
Maphaka provided solid support to left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy (7/122) as the hosts were eventually dismissed for 325.
“I just tried to pace myself throughout the day,” Maphaka said. “I had to think about coming back for a second spell, possibly even a third spell, so it’s about preserving energy.
“But furthermore, the processes remain the same. The same principles and game plans in terms of what I want to execute.”
Maphaka was, though, grateful to have a few familiar faces in the SA A changing-room to help him settle into his work.
“The entire team is really chilled. I thought they would be a lot more hostile, but everyone has been really supportive,” he said.
“Having ‘Brewie’ (Dewald Brevis) in the same team is really cool though. We played SA Under-19s together at the World Cup last year, so just having him around also helped a great deal.”
