Morne van Wyk is a selected member of the WAT South Africa A Team 2005/6. Thanks to his South African franchise, The Gestetner Diamond Eagles, we were able to get in contact with Morne and pose him a few questions in order for us to find out a little bit about him and his background. To give you some details of his career so far, Morne is from the city of Bloemfontein. A multitalented sportsman, he reached junior provincial level in hockey, rugby and tennis as well as cricket. He has played state cricket for Orange Free State and is now a key player in the Eagles franchise, taking up position behind the stumps as well as an important position in the top of the batting order. He made his One Day International debut for South Africa against England in 2003 in a losing cause and his been overlooked for further international honours since. However, his blend of free scoring, solid fielding and experience have seen him selected for our WAT South Africa A Team 2005/6.

Q1. How were you first introduced to cricket, and what about the game got you hooked?

My dad was definitely the greatest influence. I still have a cricket bat that he sawed in half for me when I was about 2 or 3 years old. Friday afternoons he would take me to the nets, and he’d throw balls at me. Actually, for the first couple of years, he told me to just block everything!

Q2. Who are your favourite cricketers of all time, and which cricketer do you think influenced your style the most?

My favourite cricketer is Andrew Hudson. He was definitely my inspiration, and I used to enjoy just watching him bat. I met him and he is really such a great guy.

I think every generation has a great wicket keeper. These are the ones who usually sets the benchmark and I try to emulate them. When I was about 17 or 18, at the start of my career, I also met Philip Radley. He was a really good keeper.

Q3. When and why did you take up keeping?

It was in standard 2, when I was 10 years old. Back then I was playing for the Under 11 side at school. When the keeper for the Under 14’s could not play, the coach asked me to stand in for him that weekend. I immediately felt very comfortable catching the ball. And that was it then!

Q4. Does keeping affect your batting, and if you didn’t have to keep would your batting improve?

I feel having to keep keeps my concentration going at all times. It’s not like fielding on the boundary for instance, where one’s mind may wander. I enjoy the involvement with every ball that’s bowled.

No, I don’t think my batting would be affected at all if I didn’t keep. It would be the same.

Q5. What for you, is the toughest aspect of keeping?

Definitely wickets that are low and slow. That means you have to stand a lot closer to the wickets, and that does not give you much reaction time. Its not that easy when the balls comes to you on the 3rd bounce. Other than that, there’s nothing else, really.

Q6. How do you judge whether a nicked ball is going to carry to first slip or not, so that you can make a diving attempt to catch it?

We do a LOT of catching practice under coach Corrie van Zyl. On the day of a game, if we bowl first, we try and assess as quickly as possible if the wicket is low or if it’s moving around a lot, so we can determine how far from me the slip fielders has to stand, and how far back I stand.

Keeping is definitely the best position on the field. You are always a part of the action. I can for instance help the captain or the bowler if I pick something up about a batsman. Something that might help us to help him out. Sometimes I will mention it to the bowler, or speak to the captain about it.

Q7. How did you find the experience of playing against England at Lords for your full international debut?

I was told only the night before the match that I was in the squad of 12. The morning of the ODI, we went out to assess the pitch and as it was a good wicket, Paul Adams was the one to miss out. I must say I felt really comfortable the time I was batting. I did not keep wicket of course, as Mark Boucher was still in the squad. But being at Lords, in front of a full house, was really special.

Q8. Do you relish the challenge of keeping wicket as well as playing a key role in the Eagles batting line up, and would you prefer to focus more on your batting?

I relish both and would do both for as long as I possibly can. I love to contribute in a big way as much as I can for the Eagles, and basically for any team I play for. The last couple of years I worked very hard on my keeping and I enjoy it more and more. It’s like they say: “The more your skills improve, the more you enjoy something”..

Q9. What hobbies or other sports do you get up to when not playing or training for cricket?

I enjoy motorcycling, fly-fishing, archery and golf.

Q10. What advice would you give to youngsters to encourage them to take up cricket?

Well, I would suggest that they have a picture of who they want to be like or what they want to achieve, and post it somewhere they will be able to see it every day. Then, work as hard as you possibly can on that goal. Practice, talk to as many people as you can on as many different aspects of the game.

You need to be really very hungry and you must really want it. Take the setbacks as they come, because they will come. No matter how good you are, we all have bad patches, and you will get dropped. What do you do then? Well, cricket is a sport that builds character, and gives you substance. And it is that character you build by playing a sport like cricket, that will also help you in a lot of other aspects of life. It is a great game and I would definitely encourage youngsters to take it up.

Q11. What has been your own personal highlights from your career so far?

Every goal that I have set myself and achieved, has been a highlight. Of course the ultimate highlight would be to be picked for the Proteas!

But cricket is also a team sport, and no matter what team I play for, I want to help them win as many trophies as possible. So, I have had many individual as well as team highlights.

Q12. What are your views on 20/20 cricket, and do you think there’s enough of it being played in SA?

I like it very much. Pro 20 cricket gets spectators excited, players love playing it, because there is so much happening all the time. Of course the sponsors love it too!

Yes, we have a lot of cricket, but there is a place for Pro/20. It brings new interest to the game of cricket, from people from all walks of life. We were less than a year after England with Pro/20, so this will be the 3rd season.

Q13. South Africa played in the Emerging Players Tournament. Which other player in your team impressed you?

Definitely Thandi Tshabalala. He is just such a natural. People just have to be patient with him. He's still a young guy. Very talented though.

Q14. How much would playing for a SA “A” side mean to you? Do you see the “A” team as a stepping stone to full honours or as a side-show detracting from franchise and full international cricket?

ANY South African shirt would make me proud. I love to play for SA. I see the A team as even more of an opportunity to showcase your skill and talent. It also means the selectors have taken note of you.

For me it also means it is a reward. To acknowledge what you have done already.

Q15. If you were given the opportunity, what would you change (if any) in order to improve

Only one thing. I would make sure the wickets are as good as they can be. Good cricketing wickets are what any cricketer wants, I’m sure. For us to create world class bowlers and batsmen, we need both to do well to shine. And for that we need good wickets.

Q16. What are your opinions on the quota system in SA?

I will be honest. I am too young to know what happened, but listening to people, seeing pictures from the past, it really makes me sad. And thus I can truly understand why this needs to be done in South African cricket.

Yes, at times it can be a bit disappointing and challenging, but like I said, I understand why this NEEDS to be done. Of course there is a flip side of the coin to this. I have seen young guys of about 18-20 years, who get into a side, but do not make the grade. That is very unfortunate.

But there are a lot of players, like the Hashim Amlas, Ashwell Princes, to name but 2, who are playing great cricket. And will make a side irrespective of their skin colour.

One more thing, I am very happy to live here. I am proud to be a South African. The bottom line is, I’ll do whatever it takes to overcome whatever challenges there are to play for my team and country.

Q17. What are your views on South Africans opting to withdraw their eligibility for playing for South Africa to take up “Kolpak” deals for money in the UK, and what are your views on South African cricketers seeking to further their opportunities abroad?

I have absolutely no problem with Kolpak. If there are players who feel they are not getting opportunities here, but have the skill and talent, then go for it!

I am positive about what’s happening in South Africa, but another guy might not feel as secure or may not even have as much faith in the system as I do. Then I don’t mind at all if they go and further their careers somewhere else.

Q18. What has been the most difficult obstacle to overcome in your cricket career?

There has been disappointments, like I said earlier, there will always be some disappointments along the way. The main thing is to then pick yourself up and keep practising. I think the biggest disappointment so far is not yet playing for the Proteas.

When you are young, you think everything should happen at the speed of light. And when it doesn’t it can be disappointing. In the end one realises of course that cricket is just a game. I try and enjoy it, enjoy the people I meet and places I get to see. And not to be too hard on myself.

Q19. Do you have a nickname?

(laughs) Morras. That’s what my team-mates call me.