Trinidad and Tobago, September 17: The third-highest scorer in the current Caribbean Premier League (CPL) season so far, only behind team-mate Kyle Mayers and Kings’ Johnson Charles, South Africa’s Quinton de Kock has settled in well to life in the Caribbean. During his brief stint with the Barbados Royals, his first in the league, the 29-year-old has 221 runs to his name in 6 matches, scoring at a strike rate of over 131. His first taste of life in the CPL , and de Kock says he’s enjoyed every bit of it.https://www.latestly.com/agency-news/syed-mushtaq-ali-trophy-bcci-to-introduce-impact-player-rule-in-domestic-mens-t20-tournament-report-4216457.html
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s meeting with the Guyana Amazon Warriors, he said: “It has been a great experience. Coming to the CPL for the first time was a new challenge for me. However, the moment I entered here, I was greeted by smiles . from the team and members of our extended staff. It has to be one of the best team environments I’ve ever been in and to say it’s my first time in the CPL makes it even better.” With six wins in seven matches, the Royals sit at the top of the table with 12 points and the environment within the team could be one of the factors behind the successful run.
“I think the best part is that we’re winning games and enjoying ourselves off the pitch. I’ve obviously played with certain people before, but making new connections here within the team has been amazing.” Speaking about the CPL and what he has made of the experience the league offers a player, Quinton said: “I think this is one of the best. It’s a lot of fun. I’ve never played here before but had always heard well. things about the whole experience. “It’s one of those tours where you’ll never know until you go in and see it for yourself. The quality of cricket on offer has been excellent, and you can see that from the number of talented upcoming players from the Caribbean who are performing now,” he said.
Barbados Royals were handed their first loss of the season on Wednesday in a rain-affected match, but the Royals Sports Group-owned franchise will aim to secure their place in the play-offs with a win over Guyana Amazon Warriors in their match future and that is something that is on De Kock’s mind. “With the team we have, you can see that everyone has stepped up and performed – whether it’s the experienced players or the younger ones. We want to make sure we can perform well in the next few games and get a playoff spot previously secured. reporting to the national team and I’m very confident that the boys can take it from there and bring the cup home.”
With Barbados offering him his first experience of being a Royal, the run-scorer is eager for the link. “It’s been a lot of fun. It’s like another level of how much I’m enjoying my cricket at the moment, both on and off the field. I’ve also really enjoyed the camaraderie here, with guys like Dappa (Kyle Mayers), Big Jimbo (Rahkeem Cornwall) and Jason (Holder). There’s a lot of characters and they all bring a different energy to the group. I don’t think there’s been a day where my cheeks haven’t been swollen from laughing so hard,” he said.
Having captained South Africa, de Kock was asked if he was helping his compatriot David Miller with some knowledge. “We definitely have a leadership group here at the Royals. Jason, Kyle and I, we give input to Dave (Miller). I think we all just surround him and help him come up with solutions that help the team. I think he it comes very naturally to him, and he’s done a great job. His attitude is up there and he’s always concerned about his players both on and off the field, which is a great leader quality.”
A new aspect to de Kock’s game in the CPL has been his batting position, with the Johannesburg player batting at 3 or 4. “When I came into the team, I saw Rahkeem and Kyle were the openers, so I prepared to bat “It’s something I’ve done in the past early in my career, and I’m happy to do it again for the team,” he signed.
(The above story was last seen on September 17, 2022 07:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, visit our website latestly. com).
