The story of Dane Piedt, the South African off-spinner, is an amazing one. He rose through the ranks of South Africa’s domestic structure and made his Test debut in Harare last August. But a shoulder injury kept him out of cricket for eight months and as he prepared himself for a surgery, Piedt knew there was a chance he would never play cricket again.
But he did, for his domestic team, Western Province, his franchise, Cape Cobras, South Africa ‘A’ and finally for the Proteas. Piedt got his first chance in the ongoing Test series against India in the final Test, in Delhi. And on the first day he claimed four Indian batsmen, including the two openers and the captain.
After the first day’s play and his performance of 4 for 101, Piedt looked back at the time he was coping with his career threatening injury.
“I was out for eight months, and I am taking this opportunity, and trying to bowl as much as I can,” Piedt said. “I must say a big thank you to Shane Jabaar, ex-Proteas physio, and my surgeon Joe de Beer. It was very tough walking into Joe’s office after Champions league T20, when Cobras had been knocked out. He said it goes one of two ways; either your way, or goes the other way that you don’t play again.
“That hit me quite hard, and I never told anyone that until I came back. It was a tough road. Guys came in and played ahead of me, so I knew it was going to be a long road for me to get back to where I was 16 months ago. It was really hard on me emotionally and physically, and just to get back today and get four wickets, is really, really a dream come true”
Although this is Piedt’s first Test in subcontinent conditions, he had a chance to get the first taste of the Indian pitches when he played the first-class series for South Africa ‘A’ in India.
“It helped me a hell of a lot, playing in Kerala was really good, beautiful ground as well. It was a good wicket, similar to the surface we are playing on today. It was really good to play against India ‘A’, and Karun Nair, one of those very good players of spin.
“It was really good to measure myself against sub-continental players, on my first tour outside of Southern Africa. Coming away with 12 wickets was really good for my confidence coming here (into the Test series),” he said.
Even though Piedt did not play the first three Tests of the series, he paid close attention to what the other spinners, especially R Ashwin, did, and picked up points to form his own plan en route his 4-wicket haul. Piedt had a man at long-on early on in his spell, a strategy, he said he picked up by watching Ashwin.
“Stealing with a high broom, learnt from Ashwin. He does exactly the same with our players,” the Proteas off-spinner said. “They are quite aggressive, hitting down the ground, so I thought they would try to put me under pressure by hitting me over my head. I told the captain, putting a guy out there and having a guy catching at mid-wicket would stop the game for me, and stopping the game would help get us wickets. That was the plan, and I think that is the plan going forward,” Piedt revealed.
With India on 231 for 7 at stumps on the first day, Piedt said the priority would be the take the remaining three wickets for not more than 20 additional runs.
“I think the game is still even. It depends on how we bowl tomorrow morning, but if we can keep them under 250, it should be a good score. I think the odd ball is still skidding on, and we are getting the odd one to bounce. It’s been a good wicket for everyone today.”
