South Africa look to Irish rover

By Paul Grunill

Test hopeful Abraham Benjamin de Villiers is a batsman who likes to make people sit up and take notice.

De Villiers toured England with South Africa's U19 side in 2003

That was certainly the case in Northern Ireland last summer when, in the space of six days, he produced not out scores of 233 and 208 while playing for Carrickfergus.

The prospect of playing for South Africa against England at Port Elizabeth is a world away from feasting on the honest toilers of Cliftonville and Instonians.

But his double double has ensured that the province's cricket fraternity will have an extra interest in proceedings at St George's Park.

"In his first innings [for us], he played a few classy shots and we thought, 'this guy's a bit special'," said Carrickfergus team-mate Barry Cooper.

"It took him a while just to get the pace of the wickets and then he scored back to back double centuries which no-one has done in the 10 years I've been here."

"A couple of mates and I jested at the time about trying to get odds from a bookie on the prospects of him playing Test cricket within two years."

AB, as he is known, faces the daunting task of trying to fill the gap at the top of the order left by injured Herschelle Gibbs, a player with almost 4,700 Test runs, including 13 centuries, behind him.

The problem is if he doesn't get any runs in the first Test, they'll probably bring Gibbs back in Barry Cooper

The 20-year-old has made his mark for Titans in South Africa's first-class competition, scoring 151 against Western Province-Boland and 124 against a Warriors attack including four players with Test experience.

It remains to be seen, however, how such an inexperienced player will fare against Steve Harmison, currently the game's top rated Test bowler.

"He's a kid basically and when he puts the pads on, you just don't know where the maturity comes from," said Cooper.

"His strike rate is probably as good as most in the first-class game. He's just clinical.

"Technically I don't think he'll get found out. I don't think he'll have any fear of the short ball which I suppose is Harmison's strength."

South Africa coach Ray Jennings has likened De Villiers' approach to that of Gibbs and India's free-scoring opener Virender Sehwag.

South Africa's new opener will look to put away anything off line

"I'm not asking him to change his technique, I'm only here to smarten it up and make him understand what ball to hit and when," said Jennings.

Cooper, however, believes his former house guest, who also keeps wicket, has the ability to develop into his country's answer to Australian Adam Gilchrist.

"I suspect long-term, they want him to be a wicket-keeper bat. I can't see why he can't do what he does, score fairly quickly at number six, and keep for South Africa."

The player himself has a refreshing air of confidence about him and South African supporters will hope he can make an immediate impact after a difficult year for the team.

"I hope we bat so I can do my thing first," said De Villiers.

"I want to play my own game, and that's an attacking, agressive one."

England have been warned.