It Was upon his return from the Under-19 World Cup in February 2008 that Wayne Parnell received what at the time appeared to be exaggerated praise from Ray Jennings.
"I would think that Jonathon Vandiar and Wayne Parnell are ready to be in the (senior national) squad for the odd tour," Jennings, the national Under-19 coach, said after watching the pair perform superbly for South Africa in that tournament where they lost to a star-studded India team in the final.
Vandiar, a wonderfully fluid left-hand batsman, is yet to make the jump to international level but in several appearances for the Highveld Lions in the last two seasons, he has given every indication that it's only a matter of time.
'What I've noticed about him is that he enjoys the big stage'
It would be wrong to say he's a fixture in the side - maybe the T20 team - but that he will one day become an important player for his country is indisputable.
"He plays better the higher the level at which he is playing. What I've noticed about him is that he enjoys the big stage," national coach Mickey Arthur says.
Arthur admits the selectors took a big risk in picking Parnell for the final, must-win Test against England at the Wanderers last week, but Parnell's second-innings display vindicated that decision.
In fact, they had some history to look back on before making that call. When South Africa were 1-0 down to Australia in the one-day series in this country in 2008, it was Parnell who was called into the squad for the second match in Centurion.
He produced a magnificent display of swing bowling and ripped the much-vaunted Australian top order to pieces, claiming 4/25 in eight overs.
'It's inevitable the cash will be a distraction'
He was coolness personified in Friday night's MTN40 semifinal for the Warriors too, bowling two critical overs at the death and conceding just 13 runs as his side qualified for the final with a nine-run win over the Cape Cobras. A man for the big occasion he most certainly is.
For one so young - he turns 21 in July - Parnell has a surprisingly old head on his shoulders. Arthur describes him as streetwise and two decisions he made in his teens speak of his toughness as a person.
He left home as a 12-year-old to board at Grey High. He impressed, his left-arm fast bowling making him something of a rarity at the time at junior level, and getting him almost instant recognition at Eastern Province.
Because Eastern Province's practice sessions were held at St George's Park which was too far away from school, he decided to take up an offer from his English teacher, and move into her house. He'd make his first class debut for Eastern Province as a 17-year-old in 2006. A year earlier he'd already made it into the SA School's team.
Parnell's maturity is reflected in how scientific he'd become at an early age about looking after himself. "Most of my coaches don't over-bowl me," he said about playing schools and club cricket in Port Elizabeth. "They set out a log book so that I can log my overs. So I haven't over-bowled myself and didn't pick up little niggles."
International cricket has brought with it fame, and on Tuesday fortune, when Parnell picked up a $610 000 (about R4,6-million) bid from Indian Premier League franchise, the Delhi Daredevils.
That kind of money and spotlight brings with it other potential dangers, but Arthur, who has worked with Parnell in the national side for two years, expects him to handle it calmly. "He knows where he wants to go as a cricketer and he knows he has a lot of work to do."
There have been concerns that the off-the-field distractions have become too big an issue for Parnell. He was suspended by the Warriors earlier this season for some late night partying during a SuperSport Series match in Port Elizabeth but Arthur says in the time he has been in the national side he has been a model professional.
"With time, I think he will be able to handle those sorts of things. There has been nothing that we have seen with him that has needed us to step in yet."
And what about the kind of distractions that come with a $610000 contract? "It's inevitable the cash will be a distraction, we saw it a bit with JP (Duminy) last year. As long as they are sensible about things, they will come through fine. As long as they understand that their priorities are with South Africa, there shouldn't be any problems and I have seen nothing to suggest that that isn't the case," Arthur explained.
The next two big Tests of Parnell's growth as a cricketer and person will both be in India in the next few weeks. First, he has a tour with the national team that includes two Tests and three one-day internationals and then, of course, there's the IPL which starts shortly thereafter.
His first-innings performance with the ball against England at the Wanderers was a nervy one, in which he bowled three overs for 18 runs, in the second, however, he made two massive breakthroughs, first getting rid of England skipper Andrew Strauss during that raucous session on Saturday evening and then, the next morning, removing Kevin Pietersen to set South Africa on their way to a comprehensive Test win.
Starting off your Test career, claiming wickets of two such esteemed batsmen as Strauss and Pietersen, is some announcement, but the road ahead is tougher. "In India he won't get that kind of wicket (the lively Wanderers variety) and how he bowls on flat wickets will test him, especially against guys like Sehwag, Gambhir, Tendulkar and Dravid," said Arthur.
"He still hasn't had a proper taste of Test cricket."
South Africa, remember, needed just 90.4 overs to bowl England out in both innings at the Wanderers. India won't be as rushed. "He'll have to show he can come back and be effective in a second and third spell; that when he isn't picking up wickets he can keep an end tight and remain patient. It will show him the realities of Test cricket," Arthur continued. "But I expect Wayne to learn quickly."
Nothing about his career thus far suggests anything else.
FACTFILE
July 30, 1989: Born in Uitenhage.
January 2001: Leaves home to start at Grey High where he is a boarder.
December 2005: First picked for SA schools.
October 2006: First Class debut for Eastern Province v South Western Districts.
February 2008: Captains SA Under-19 team at World Cup. SA finish runners up to India.
December 2008: Picked in national squad for one-day series in Australia.
January 30, 2009: Makes one-day international debut against Australia in Perth. Brad Haddin is his first international wicket.
March 31, 2009: Becomes the youngest player to receive a senior national contract.
April 5, 2009: Earns man of the match award in second one-day international against Australia when he claims 4/27.
April 2009: Signs a six-week contract to play county cricket for Kent.
June 2009: Stars for SA at the World T20 championships finishing with nine wickets while his 4/13 v West Indies was the fourth best bowling performance of the competition.
January 14, 2010: Makes Test debut against England. Andrew Strauss is his first Test wicket.
January 19 2010: Receives a bid of $610 000 (about R4,6-million) from the Delhi Daredevils to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Source:iol.co.za/
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