The Proteas coach, Rob Walter, has backed the fast bowler, Anrich Nortjé, to be on song during the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies, while he is also delighted with the rise of Ottniel Baartman.

Nortjé recently returned from a long-term injury and during the Indian Premier League and recent three-match T20 International series against the West Indies, he struggled.

The new kid on the block for the Proteas, Ottniel Baartman, impressed with the ball on debut and Walter told OFM Sport that he is very excited about the former Knights seamer.

‘He finds a way to get it done well’

“He performed excellently well, and continues to perform excellently well so I’m very excited by what Ottniel has brought to the side,” said Walter.

“He is a simple, highly talented, and skilled individual who sort of slides under the radar in terms of the job that he’s doing.

“He bowls in the toughest parts of the game and finds a way to get it done well.”

‘They’ve been tough conditions for a fast bowler’

Walter added that when it comes to Nortjé it’s just a matter of time before the fiery quick starts hitting his level best again.

“They’ve been tough conditions for a fast bowler and coming up against a side who were pretty brutal if you were off the mark,” said Walter.

“He probably experienced the exact same thing having come off a break into his first four games at the IPL.

‘A world-class performer finds a way’

“So he probably landed himself in a perfect storm, which in many ways can harden you and get you even more ready.

“I still don’t believe he’s very far away. A world-class performer finds a way and I don’t doubt that he will as well.”

The Proteas will open their campaign on Monday when they face Sri Lanka in New York.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek mvh