Tsotsobe aims to be SA's Akram

The Saffers always aim high. Still there appears to be some sporting pedigree in the family.

Tsotsobe aims to be SA's Akram
Michael Doman
November 26 2008



Fast bowler Lonwabo Tsotsobe is the third member of his family to earn national colours. The other two were rugby players, but he found the oval ball game "too rough" after a one-year career in his early teens.

Left-arm swing bowler Tsotsobe, 24, was recently included in the Proteas squad for the three-Test series against Australia starting next month.

His father, Toto, played for the Leopards in the 1970s, in the days of separate national sides for different population groups, and his sister Nomsebenzi is the national women's rugby team captain.

"I played one year of rugby when I was 14 or 15, as a wing, but it was too rough," said the Warriors paceman.

Now a leading bowler, Tsotsobe took 12 wickets for South Africa A in two four-day matches against Sri Lanka A leading into this season, and in four SuperSport matches so far he has collected 16 victims at an average of 18.12.

The bonus for him is that he has been able to bowl in tandem with Proteas stalwart Makhaya Ntini for the Warriors, the pair memorably combining to rout champions the Diamond Eagles for 28 in Port Elizabeth last month.

Ntini, dropped from the national one-day team, is top of the SuperSport averages at the halfway mark, with Tstotsobe in second spot.

"Makhaya's been a big inspiration, we've been able to do a lot together," said Tsotsobe.

He singles out Pakistan great Wasim Akram as a player whose style and variations he has studied.

"As a youngster I used to watch Allan Donald as well, but mostly it was the swing bowlers. Akram was the best he could swing it in and out."

Russell Domingo, Tstotsobe's coach at the Warriors, believes the left-armer has improved appreciably since moving into franchise cricket.

"Maybe there were questions about his work ethic two or three years ago, but he's right up there now," Domingo said.

"At first his second and third spells were a little soft, but now, with the older ball, he is able to get edges and take wickets. It's pleasing to see."

While Tsotsobe is not regarded as having express pace, Domingo does not believe that is a significant drawback.

"He bowls in the mid-130s (km/h), so lack of pace is not a major problem. He's got good control and is tall so he gets bounce swinging the new ball into the right-handers, he gets plenty of lbw and bowled dismissals."

Tsotsobe himself aims to increase his pace by developing his physique in the gym. "There's nothing wrong with my action, so if I can swing it at 140 or 142 I'm looking to up the pace," he said.

SA should rest Steyn and play this guy instead...

140-142 KPH is ok speed, i reckon Akram was about the same pace when he started out as an 18 year old in test(first class) cricket.

Similar built as W Akram in 1984-85

.

Red wrote:
"I played one year of rugby when I was 14 or 15, as a wing, but it was too rough," said the Warriors paceman.

Soft!

Red wrote:I played one year of rugby when I was 14 or 15, as a wing, but it was too rough.

This reads better

Will he even get a match?

"His father, Toto"

I bless the rains down in Africa.

He probably will get a game because he bowled 10 overs and took 1 for 12 or so in the warm-up game against a strong WA team and they were really impressed with him.

Ntini was recently dropped from the ODI squad but has been reinstated. Maybe the two will rotate.

excellent 1st game for the youngster