1792 days, that was the amount of time between Wayne Parnell’s last appearance for the Proteas T20 team before he was called up to the national side in May 2022. In reality, when a player goes over four years without playing for their country, the chances of ever doing it again become virtually nil.
Playing for South Africa, however, is the current exception when it comes to this rule of thumb given that a host of the country’s top cricketers have become eligible for selection again owing to the Kolpak era coming to an end following the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union. In short, players no longer have to choose between a lucrative county contract and the honor of playing for the Rainbow Nation as they aren’t considered overseas professionals who work in the EU.
With Brexit done, Parnell takes back control
To a large extent, the initial Kolpak agreement was the reason why Parnell quietly exited the international stage to reap the benefits of earning pounds in 2018. But it’s also worth saying that at the time, the all-rounder’s future in the Proteas setup looked uncertain with the country’s cricket administrators having run out of patience with Parnell. Essentially, the one-time boy wonder was seen as out of his depth in the international arena and the search was on for the next player with genuine X factor.
Of course, Parnell threatened to bring the cricketing world to its knees when he first burst onto the international scene but his jaw-dropping talent slowly turned into a trend of poor performances that earned him the wrath of the cricket-watching public in South Africa. With this being the case, it wouldn’t have been a tough decision when Worcestershire came knocking on Parnell’s door and offered him the chance to draw a line under his failed international career whilst also securing his financial future.
History tells us, however, that the life of a professional South African cricketer is never straightforward. At least, the coffin of a Proteas player’s career that seemingly has had all the world’s nails hammered into it can miraculously burst open. In Parnell’s case, he was able to return from the international dead in 2022 after a change in rules and a run of consistent performances on the global T20 circuit earned him the unlikeliest recall.
The wizard of Oz
Six months on from that decision to bring the Port Elizabeth-born all-rounder back into the fold after a four-year exile and the Castore Proteas stand on the brink of history. This is, at least, what the latest T20 World Cup betting odds suggest with the South Africans, as of the 31st of October, priced at just 33/10 to go all the way Down Under after a barnstorming start to the tournament. Perhaps their current form can be better summed up by referring to their recent win over India in the group stages given that Rahul Dravid’s charges are the outright favorites to win the World Cup at odds of 9/4. South Africa though, with the help of Parnell who set the tone right from the start with a blistering maiden over, swept India aside in spectacular fashion despite the nation having some of the best white-ball players in history on their side.
Coming of age when it matters most
Indeed, that raw aggression from his earlier playing days has now become controlled destruction with Parnell getting the ball to kiss the surface before rushing the opposition batsmen on Australia’s seamer-friendly wickets. In truth, it has been a masterclass from the 33-year-old who is showing that he has the character to deliver on the most pressurized stage despite suffering setbacks along the way.
Fittingly, this is why Parnell decided to imitate the iconic footballer Cristiano Ronaldo when he dismissed Suryakumar Yadav in the game against India by performing the ‘peace of mind’ celebration.
Like Ronaldo, Parnell knows what it’s like to be doubted and written off but crucially, also knows how to answer his critics now.