Not too long ago, there were concerns over whether Dewald Brevis would translate the immense potential he possessed into performance, but the last 12 months have seen the youngster turn into an all-format player for South Africa.
Two months ago, he hit the highest individual score for South Africa in T20Is, and he’s also now a regular in the Proteas’ ODI set-up, despite not cracking the 50-over code just yet.
The 22-year-old has broken through into South Africa’s Test side as well, and the ongoing Lahore Test against Pakistan is Brevis’ third ever Test and his first in the subcontinent, with him finding a place in the lower middle-order.
The youngster registered a golden duck in the first innings, but, come the second innings, showed why he’s rated so highly as he launched an exceptional counter-attack with his side under immense pressure.
Chasing 277, the Proteas were behind the eight ball in the chase from the very beginning, and at 55/4, it looked like the match was a lost cause. That’s when Brevis walked in at No.6 and gave the visitors much-needed hope, smashing a quickfire fifty. Brevis smashed six fours and two sixes in a fiery knock that saw him go at a strike rate of 100, when the chips were down for his side.
South Africa went from 55/4 to 128/4 in no time – with Ryan Rickelton supporting Brevis at the other end – and, for a moment, it looked like it was game on in Lahore.
However, it was at this point that left-arm spinner Noman Ali castled him with an absolute peach, an unplayable delivery that pitched on leg, turned sharply and hit the top of off-stump. And just like that, the youngster’s innings came to an end.
South Africa are on the verge of losing the first Test, but they will definitely take heart from the showing of Brevis, who mind you is featuring in only his third ever Test. Certainly, this knock might just have done enough to convince the team management that Brevis should be a starter in the XI for the two-Test series away in India next month.
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India Beware? Dewald Brevis Sizzles With Quickfire Fifty In His First Subcontinent Test – Cricket.com
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