Red-hot Du Plessis returns to captain the G Route Badgers

CRICKET NEWS - Plett cricketer Jean du Plessis has returned from a highly successful season of club cricket in England, and is set to captain the Garden Route Badgers in their first fixture of the 2023/24 Division 2 CSA One Day Cup this weekend.

Du Plessis and his Badgers troops will take on the Knights at the Recreation Ground in Oudtshoorn on Saturday 16 September, in what is being billed as an exciting encounter.

The Badgers are the defending champions in the Division 2 CSA One Day Cup, while the Knights were relegated from Division 1 at the end of the 2022/23 season. Both sides will therefore be eager to get their new campaigns off to the right start.

For Du Plessis, the fixture comes off the back of what has been a very bright English summer. His exploits under the banner of Welbeck Cricket Club saw him emerge as the top run scorer in the Saturday edition of the 50-over Nottinghamshire Premier League, scoring 1 025 runs in only 14 innings at an incredible average of 113,89. He notched up six centuries in the competition too.

His prolific run-scoring wasn't limited to only that format though, as Du Plessis racked up a total of 1 842 runs for Welbeck including the T20 and Sunday leagues too with an average of 102,33 in 26 innings. Du Plessis also raised his bat a total of 10 times across all formats, fittingly scoring his 10th century in his final game of the season before returning back home to South Africa.

Two factors make this phenomenal season all the more special for Du Plessis – firstly it was his first as an overseas pro at a UK club, and secondly it came after he missed out on the bulk of the 2022/23 domestic SA season with an ankle injury.

"The main driver for the decision to play overseas this year was to get some game time under the belt after being out the majority of last season due to my ankle injury," Du Plessis said.

"The amount of games played overseas is like gold-dust for a batsmen to learn and understand your game and also to carry some form into the domestic season. I feel a lot of our players that have gone to the UK/Ireland this season have done well, which excites me for this coming domestic season."

The 25-year-old revelled in the ability to play under new conditions, and thoroughly enjoyed his time in the UK as a result. "My personal return to form was especially pleasing. I think what this proved to me is the value that a good mental space can bring to your game. After being forced away from the game for so long, I came back hungry to do well, but I also had a lot of time to reflect on the mental part of my game. Which put me in good stead."

Further, Du Plessis is also excited for what lies in store for the Badgers. "I am really excited about our prospects for the season. I think our squad is nicely balanced with the new signings made really complimenting our existing group and I am really excited for coach Gurshwin stepping into the role of head coach."

Jean du Plessis plays a lofted straight drive for Brooklands Cricket Club.