Cameron Delport of Paarl Rocks during the Mzansi Super League match between Nelson Mandela Bay Giants and Paarl Rocks at St Georges Park. (Photo by Richard Huggard/Gallo Images)
Cameron Delport has revealed that he has spoken to CSA Director of Cricket Graeme Smith and head coach Mark Boucher about his chances of representing the Proteas.
The 31-year-old Delport does not have a contract with any franchise in domestic cricket but has made his name in T20 leagues around the world.
The left-handed batsman has made 236 T20 appearances across the globe and played a key role for the Paarl Rocks as they won the Mzansi Super League last year.
With a T20 World Cup on the horizon in India next year, Delport has reached out to Smith and Boucher to assess his chances of playing for his country.
Delport told ESPNCricinfo: “They said if I’m available, then I’ve still to score the runs, and I communicated to them that I don’t want an easy route in.
“I won the Mzansi Super League last year with Paarl Rocks, and I’ve been in the top run-scorers in it.
“I think they do keep an eye on me playing in leagues, and I’m playing against international players – I haven’t gone and sat on the bench, I’m racking up the games and experience now.
“There’s been a few conversations, and we’ll see how they plan. The policy in South Africa is that if guys do well in domestic cricket, they’ll get an opportunity.
“If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen, but at least I’d know that when I do eventually retire that I’ve had a good crack at representing my country. I don’t want to hold any regrets on that.”
The former Dolphins player added that he wants to earn his way into the Proteas team not just given opportunities ahead of others.
He told the PA news agency: “It has been my goal since childhood to play for my country and play for the Proteas.
“I don’t want the easy way in because I’ve played and got the experience of playing T20 cricket, I want to deserve my spot in the team and crack on.
“I want to score runs, win a few trophies and not look too far into it and if it happens, it happens.
“I am young, only 31 and feel in the best form of my life so I definitely feel good and hopefully it will carry on.”
– TEAMtalk media
