Managing expectations of Albie

As the South African one-day international team goes through a transition of sorts, it is so important that Gary Kirsten and AB de Villiers – with the help of the selectors – learn a great deal about the individuals who are potential candidates to be regular fixtures in the squad. During Kirsten and De Villiers’s tenure, there will be a changing of the guard and the hope will be that it is smooth.

Watching Albie Morkel smashing it to all parts in Paarl triggered a thought in my mind. It was great to see him in action again even if only for 15 or so deliveries. The thought was that South Africa missed a trick in the selection of the World Cup squad. In my mind he should have been on the plane to India where he makes a habit (and a living) of pummelling bowlers all over the place in the twenty20 version of the game.

It is so important that the Albie's role is understood and also backed, as it could win South Africa a game every now and again. That he is currently in good form is a great thing and so allows him to be confident as he goes about his work with bat in hand. In times past, I reckon that Albie has been guilty of trying to do too much too soon because of perceived expectations.

Albie Morkel is a bowling all-rounder who will always be expected to contribute with the ball in the one-day team, and as long as that part of his game is going along relatively, well then because of what he provides potentially with the bat, he’ll make the team more than most who are fringe players.

When he's in decent form, his batting provides South Africa with a different and potentially match-winning option. There are not many middle to late-order batsmen in the cricket world who hit the ball as well as Albie does. Whenever he is used in that bashing role, the expectation is that he will deliver. Because of the very nature of the job, though, it is going to fail more than it succeeds, as trying to smash just about every ball you face out of the park is highly risky.

So, that expectation needs to be carefully considered and managed, as becoming greedy with an option that others do not have led to aborting it the first time around. There is not going to be the same consistency from a player asked to wallop every bowler as there will be from one who bats normally every time.

The only man who managed to churn out one blistering innings after another regularly was Lance Klusener, and that sure was unbelievable to the point of being freakish. I cannot recall anybody finishing games off so well ever since the legendary all-rounder affectionately known as Zulu retired from the game. I also think it will be a very long time before someone like that comes along. Therefore, it worries me when the expectation from Morkel is to do things Klusener-like, regularly.

The very fact that the option is provided by Albie Morkel’s inclusion gives the team something extra, and time spent in the wilderness also will work in the favour of the team as Morkel will be doing his damndest to make sure his performances speak for themselves and keep him in the group a while yet.