Player of the Tournament: South Africa’s record-breaking ‘Baby AB’ Dewald Brevis
The brilliant Brevis showed off his enormous ability right from the start of the tournament with a fine 65 against India, accompanied with 2/43 from his useful off-spin.
And the 18-year-old very nearly followed up that knock with a hat-trick of centuries, hitting 104 against Uganda before falling four runs short of a ton against Ireland and three runs short in the loss to England.
Brevis’ only failure in the tournament was a disappointing six against Sri Lanka, but he finished his campaign on a high with an outstanding 138 against Bangladesh to steer his side to a successful run chase in the seventh-place playoff.
Reasons for comparisons between Brevis and AB de Villiers were clear from the moment he took to the crease against India, with the player having clearly modelled his style on the South African legend.
But there are worse players to emulate, and on the evidence of his displays in the Caribbean, Brevis has every chance of also making it in the international game.
BREVIS' RECORD-BREAKING NUMBERS
- 65 and 2/43 vs India
- 104 and 2/18 vs Uganda
- 96 and 0/13 vs Ireland
- 97 and 2/40 vs England
- 6 and 1/52 vs Sri Lanka
- 138 and 0/34 vs Bangladesh
WHAT THEY SAID
**South Africa coach Shukri Conrad: “**Dewald Brevis is a player who’s on everyone’s lips. He’s AB de Villers 2.0.”
ICC pundit Natalie Germanos:“He’s been absolutely brilliant. I’d heard a lot about him coming into the tournament, and seen a little bit of him as well. We all know he looks like AB de Villiers, he plays like him, strokes the ball just like him. He’s been brilliant through the tournament, whether it be with the ball, in the field, with the bat. He’s an absolute star, and for me – no pressure on the youngster – I really feel this is one for the future for South Africa.”
ICC commentator Alan Wilkins:“It’s almost as if he premeditates and says ‘this bowler’s going to go’. He plays these audacious shots, he’s got touch, but he goes big down the ground. He’s a formidable force for South African cricket, and I think he’s going to go all the way.”
DEWALD BREVIS IN HIS OWN WORDS
“I think I was born with a passion to play cricket and a love for the game, and I really want to make a difference with cricket," Brevis told the ICC.
“As a youngster, me and my brother always played backyard cricket, he had such a big ambition also for the game, there was lots of passion, lots of laughter, lots of tears.
"My mum always told me to believe that I was going to do something in sports, and cricket is what I want to do, that’s what keeps me driven.
“In my era growing up everyone knows AB de Villiers, he’s been such a role model for me from a very young age.
"Growing up watching him at SuperSport Park for the first time live, on TV, I always loved the way he played, 360 degrees, taking on the bowlers, being aggressive.
“I’ve chatted to AB quite a lot, it’s a special relationship, something that I keep close to my heart and don’t really talk much about, but he’s given me some advice and small things to improve my game.
“I love a lot of shots, but if I had to choose I believe it’d be playing a straight drive or straight over the top, but 360… I like playing 360!”