More so, because the Lions were without the main seamers. Lutho Sipamla was injured in Namibia where Kwena Maphaka was playing for the senior national side. Gerald Coetzee and Codi Yusuf were on duty for the A side and Wiaan Mulder was unavailable for personal reasons. That meant Basson, in his first match, had to lead an attack with two other bowling debutants – Wilco de Bruin and Rafeeq Patel – and he proved up to the task as he was among the wickets from his first spell.
“That was my favourite wicket. I clean bowled him,” Basson said. “That was just super special, so nice, I think from a bowler through the gate, stumps flying, definitely my favourite.”
“It’s like when I saw KG for the first time and he rock and rolled in Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval in a T20I against Australia, I just knew. Every now and again, one of these kids comes along and they are just a find that you want to nurture”
Allan Donald on watching JJ Basson bowl
At one stage, Lions had Boland 90 for 6 and Basson had taken all six wickets. Then he was brought back to remove centurion Lehan Botha, for 170. Basson finished with 7 for 62 in the first innings and such was his dominance that when Lions set Boland a target of 279 on the fourth day, it was clear they hoped he could bowl them to victory. He bowled more overs than any other seamer and took all four wickets that fell.
As Basson plugged, Donald was certain he was seeing what happens when potential is given responsibility. “I was walking around the ground when he started his second spell and I could see straight away that his rhythm was on. That’s something I know he has been working on because he had a few no-ball issues but he has sorted that out,” Donald said. “The ability to swing the ball so late is a great asset of his. He is lanky with a natural wrist position and being left arm just makes him a special talent. And he’s a great listener and asks good questions.”
It’s far too early to be talking about Basson alongside those names but this is a summer with eight Tests, nine ODIs and three T20Is at home and two Tests away in Sri Lanka. Managing the workload of their fast bowlers, especially, will be crucial and there’s expected to be a fair amount of rotation. Maybe, just maybe, Basson will find the door that revolves his way.
First, there is the small matter of finishing school, which Donald said must “come first” even if it provides a source of entertainment for now. “It’s funny to see him in the dressing room, sitting there in his books. He is studying and we know he’s got a busy week coming up.”
Basson will not travel with the Lions to their next fixture, against Knights in Bloemfontein this week and though he is “gutted to miss an opportunity to possibly be part of the traveling XI, this is part of the journey,” he said. There’s also no doubt what his post-school plans are. “As soon as my last exam is done, it’s going to be cricket all the way.”