Parnell, senior stalwart of the Cape Cobras, will represent Kent in England in the South African off-season.
“I have no doubt he will receive a call-up for the South African team for the ICC Champions Trophy and possibly also play test cricket.
“It is ideal that he represents Kent, because I feel, with Wayne, it affects him when he sits on the sidelines. When he represented the Cape Cobras for a full season, it made a massive difference,” said Barnes, CSA coach at the High Performance Centre.
“To me, Wayne is a strike bowler who should open the bowling, operate at 142 km/h, hit the right areas and operate with good control,” he said.
Barnes says he hopes he rediscovers pronounced swing more consistently, but he has spoken to Parnell and the bowler is very happy about the current status quo.
“Wayne can use bounce very effectively not only as a dot ball, but as a way to remove batsmen,” he said.
Injuries have hampered Parnell in the past, affecting his landing position, while his absence from the playing field while sitting on the bench has adversely affected his form.
In his first full domestic season back in 2015/2016, Parnell produced three successive five-wicket hauls for the Cape Cobras in the last two Sunfoil Series matches of the season. It included a magnificent 7-51 at PPC Newlands against the Hollywoodbets Dolphins.
PHILANDER AT SUSSEX
Barnes said the presence of the Cape Cobras’ fast bowler Vernon Philander for Sussex is an ideal move, as he will be in England where South Africa will play in 10 international games from May to August, including four tests.
Probed about the pace of Philander, which was a talking point in the final test against New Zealand when the former South African captain, Kepler Wessels, was slightly concerned that Philander was operating at 125 km/h and not at an ideal speed of 130 km/h or faster, Barnes said he is not alarmed at all.
“Look, Vernon is a very clever bowler who assesses conditions fast on different tracks and knows what is needed to remove batsmen. Of course he can bowl in the 130s, there is no doubt at all about that fact,” Barnes said.
Philander will be a vital cog in the South African attack. He nipped out 5-30 in the third test at Lord’s in 2012, a factor which swayed things in the Proteas’ favour decisively.
