Proteas batter Connor Esterhuizen was named Player of the Match in the fourth T20I in Wellington.
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Proteas batter Connor Esterhuizen believes Covid-19 was the ‘sort of saving grace’ in his cricket career.
Esterhuizen, who is on his first international tour, has been the tourists’ standout batter in the ongoing T20I series with New Zealand.
The 24-year-old struck an unbeaten 45 to guide the Proteas’ home in the series opener at Bay Oval and has now followed it up a maiden T20I half-century in the series leveller in Wellington on Sunday.
It has been a particular tough series for batters on both sides - only three half-centuries have been struck in four matches across both teams - but Esterhuizen believes he’s been able to battle through after overcoming greater challenges earlier on in his career.
“Before COVID, at the back end of my school career, I didn't sort of make the teams that I wanted to, that I thought I was good enough to make,” said the former St Johns pupil.
“And after that, I wasn't sure if cricket was really for me or if I was good enough to play professionally or after school. And then COVID hit and it was sort of a saving grace, a little bit of a break from the game.
“And yeah, I sort of worked my way up from club cricket and university cricket into the Lions B team, the Colts. And then I got my opportunity at Lions level and an opportunity here and there and then sort of played a little bit more throughout the last two years, maybe.
“And I think maybe just a couple of good performances and you can find yourself sitting in this position.”
Although still relatively inexperienced, especially at international level, Esterhuizen has shown a great deal of maturity in dealing with the mental challenges the game poses. He has also been adaptable in batting across various positions in the top-order.
“I think for most people, the talent is sort of always there, but it's hard to use that talent and the decision making that comes with it,” he said.
“And that, I think, is the key, the higher up you go in this game. And I think the second thing is just how to deal with failures, because this game is a game of failures.”
Esterhuizen and the Proteas now head off to Christchurch for the series decider at Hagley Oval on Wednesday.