JAYDEN Groenewald is the kind of player everyone wants in a cricket team.
He consistently performs with both bat and ball and doesn’t shy away from his duties as captain – three players in one.
Pearson High is the team lucky to have Groenewald doing duty for them, as we saw recently when he caught the eye in a tough encounter against Grey High.
He took 6/45 in 8.4 overs and also impressed with the bat, scoring a good-looking 36 runs from 59 balls.
Groenewald feels he is not taking on too much by being both the captain and an important player, both bowling and with the bat.
“Captaincy is not an easy task but I find it exciting. I know I will do my best to motivate my team mates,” said Groenewald (18).
“The most important thing is that we must play as a team. You don’t play for yourself but for the team.”
He has no problems about his workload as an all-rounder, and feels it actually makes his job as a captain easier.
“When I bat I go in with the mindset to stay there as long as possible, and take the match forward for the team.
“On the field I motivate the players to perform and always give myself a chance to make a breakthrough with the ball.”
He can’t say whether he prefers batting or bowling. “No, that is just on the day. Some days I bowl better and on another day it goes well with the bat.”
The Pearson star is a leg-break bowler – and this is not an easy art. He started working on this skill from a very young age.
“I wanted to bowl spin like Shane Warne (the late Australian legend), and when my coach asked if I wanted to try spin or pace bowling, I went with leg-breaks.
“The coach showed me all the different grips and then I also started to bowl googlies (a delivery different from the normal leg-break).”
But where did his love for cricket start?
“I was introduced to the game at Stulting Primary and when I came home on that day my dad gave me my new cricket kit.
“We played in the backyard and I remember I hit one ball straight from the middle of the bat. From then on I wanted to try and hit the ball like that every time.
“Virat Kohli (a legendary Indian batsman) is my cricket hero and his attitude inspires me. He works hard at his game and wants to bat the whole day.”
Groenewald also wouldn’t mind batting all day, but as a Grade 12 learner he must find time for the books also.
“Time management is important. I work to a schedule and there must be time for school work.”
He is looking forward to the rest of the cricket season and wants to hit that elusive century for Pearson.
“We are a young side and can only improve from here. If you want to improve your cricket, Pearson is the school for you.”
