At 6 foot 2 inches tall, Dane Vilas is a towering figure in the heart of the Durban Heat batting line-up, and, ever since he was recruited for the team in the Mzansi Super League 2.0 draft in September this year, has caught the eye with his on-field leadership style and calm demeanour.
However, following the Heat’s struggles in the Mzansi Super League last year (they finished as the wooden-spooners with just three wins from 10 matches), this campaign is fast proving to be a breath of fresh coastal air, and winning games is proving to be a surmountable mountain for the coastal side.
The Heat’s three wins in a row is not surprising as Vilas came into this MSL 2.0 on the back of captaining the Jozi Stars to glory last year – and his absence from the Wanderers-based side has been keenly felt (the Stars sit at the basement of the log with seven losses from nine matches).
In contrast to the current Stars skipper Temba Bavuma, Vilas is a vocal captain who encourages his fellow fielders by waving his arms and saying comments like “good bowling boys” and “nice fielding gents” during the game. Vilas also frequently shows his desire to win by asking the umpire why a decision was not given out.
Vilas is also a versatile skipper. Against the Cape Town Blitz, he sent himself in at four after his side lost two early wickets, steadied the ship, and went on to make an unbeaten 75 with the bat. Then in the Heat’s next game against the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants, he promoted David Miller ahead of him in the batting-order, and it proved to be a masterstroke, as Miller went on to score a half-century off 39 balls to marshal the Heat to a win by six wickets.
But the appointment of Gary Kirsten as the Heat’s new coach, after the evergreen Grant Morgan was shown the door, has borne tasty fruit for the Kingsmead-based side.
Kirsten, with all his experience of coaching a smorgasbord of T20 sides around the Globe (the likes of Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Daredevils, Hobart Hurricanes, Welsh Fire have all acquired his services at various stages), has brought canny T20 nous to the Heat.
Kirsten’s knowledge of Ravi Bopara’s potent form in the shortest form of the game led to him drafting the English all-rounder for the Heat’s MSL 2.0 campaign.
Ravi Bopara in full force for the Durban Heat
Bopara has brought his fine form to the Heat – his batting average stands at a phenomenal 87.00 from his three innings, coupled with a healthy strike-rate of 131.81. His medium pacers have also been used regularly by Vilas.
Vilas has also used an interesting tactical ploy throughout the current MSL (which may have some Kirsten-sprinkles) of not bowling the death-bowler Malusi Siboto until the later stages of the innings.
Malusi Siboto prepares to deliver his death-bowling magic
Siboto usually comes into the Heat’s bowling attack during the 15th over, where his yummy yorkers and subtle slower balls often reduce batsmen to deers in the headlights.
*Statistics supplied by ESPNcricinfo at the time of going to press (7 December 2019).
South African Cricket 