Now spinner Boje dreams of a Test turn (31 January 1999)

31 January 1999

Now spinner Bojé dreams of a Test turn

GRANT SHIMMIN

WHILE some of South Africa's most seasoned international cricketers have recently had their exploits documented in books, the international career of Nicky Bojé, despite spanning almost four seasons, would not yet take up more than a couple of short chapters.

Selected for four international tours and a successful trip to the Commonwealth Games already, Bojé appeared in only his 12th one-day international when he played against the West Indies in East London last weekend.

But this week the door may just have edged open a little further for the amiable 25-year-old Free Stater when he was named in the squad for the seven-week tour of New Zealand. This starts immediately after the current one-day series against the men from the Caribbean.

The land of the long white cloud could well become for him the land of opportunity to take his career onto another level. Pat Symcox is coming home after the first three one-dayers, which occupy just the first week of the tour, leaving Bojé and Paul Adams behind for the duration.

Selection convener Peter Pollock indicated this week it was unlikely that two spinners would be played in the Tests in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington, so Adams is obviously in pole position, and rightly so after his performance in the fifth Test against the Windies.

"It's not likely, but the option is there if we want to," Pollock said.

So at least Bojé, who has become something of a specialist at biting the bullet through the disappointments of non-selection on tour, will know he is next in line.

An injury or a fearful pasting for Adams - or even a track that looks likely to turn square - could enable him to fulfil his cherished dream of a Test debut.

"That's always your big goal and I'm really going to try hard, but the main thing is to enjoy every moment of the trip," he said.

Bojé has been extremely close once. On the 1996/97 tour of India, which had started with the one-day series, he seemed set to be selected for the first Test in Ahmedabad, with Adams not having travelled with the team due to injury.

At the eleventh hour, though, Adams was flown in and went straight into the Test side.

"It was a little bit of a disappointment, but that's how it goes. You can't really show it - you've just got to keep fighting, keep playing," Bojé said this week.

If he does happen to get the nod as a slow bowler, Bojé will certainly not be letting anyone down with the bat, having piled up the first-class runs over the past two domestic seasons, including several centuries.

Since his selection as a number three batsman for the South African Schools side in 1991, there has never been any doubt about the former Grey College pupil's batting pedigree, but only in these past two seasons has he been able to turn that ability into a mountain of runs.

"It all happened two seasons ago at the Plascon Academy. We weren't really taught much about technique, but more about how to build an innings," he explained.

Even if he does not get his Test chance in New Zealand, there is another "big goal" for Bojé to shoot at - a World Cup place in England in May and June.

"I think I just missed out on the previous one in the sub-continent, so I'd really love to go to England," he said.

To that end, he seems to be a step ahead of Symcox in the queue.

"In the main, he's there as a World Cup option," Pollock said of Bojé's place in the tour party, adding: "Symmo's form as an offspinner is not very encouraging."

One factor that has kept Symcox ahead of the pack in recent years is his mental toughness, but Bojé demonstrated he had that in abundance in Kuala Lumpur.

There, he and Alan Dawson nursed South Africa, needing 34 with one wicket left, home to an unlikely Commonwealth Games semifinal victory over Sri Lanka.

He admitted that had been his biggest mental test so far, adding: "Over the years, I've had my opportunities to play and with more experience behind you, you become better equipped.

"You're definitely going to get ups and downs, but I think I'm fairly well equipped to play (for South Africa)."

The major chapters of the Nicky Bojé story may be about to unfold.