Klaasen is poetry in motion
The incredible Heinrich Klaasen
On the 30th of January, I created a folder with notes for the SA20 finalists. I had Durban Super Giants as one of the finalists, in part because of Heinrich Klaasen. Over the past two years, the 32-year-old has been chewing up bowling attacks like a T20 Galactus.
Over the past two years, Klaasen has smashed more sixes than fours (117 sixes and 114 fours) in 50 T20s. Since 2022, he averages 47.4 at a strike rate of 180.2 He appeared in seven matches in The Hundred where he scored 189 runs at a strike rate of 178.3
In 1999, Ricky Ponting had never seen anyone practice range hitting. Then he saw Lance Klusener at the ODI World Cup. The sight of Klusener depositing balls over the stands from the middle of the pitch must have sent a shiver down his spine. He had never seen such strength combined with timing. Klaasen, who is coached by Klusener at DSG, is the modern and improved version of the former all-rounder, minus the bowling. Standing at just over six feet, with broad shoulders and a firm handshake, he cuts an imposing figure, like Klusener at the turn of the century.
In two words, his batting is range-hitting.
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Bowlers don't have to deliver half-trackers for him to launch them into space. He makes room when they try to cramp him. He did so to Imran Tahir. Klaasen tried to drill holes into the sightscreen while facing Tahir. Coming into the match, Tahir had good figures: six wickets in nine matches at an economy of 6.82 for an average of 21.2 and a strike rate of 18.7
Klaasen plundered 26 runs off Tahir in eight deliveries. Three sixes, one four and four singles. After his rampage, Tahir's numbers had taken a knock, his economy had risen to 7.61. His average had climbed to 26.2 and his strike rate was at 20.7.
It's not often that middle-order batters dominate the top-scorers lists in T20 cricket. The format is designed for openers to dominate. Klaasen is doing the near-impossible, dominating from the number five position. He has the second-most runs, second-highest average and the best strike rate among players with 300 or more runs this season. No batter has struck as many sixes as Klaasen (37) this season, he has simply been going ham against bowlers.
He is going at a strike rate of 208.87, which is 35.1 points more than the next-best batter among the top 10 run-scorers in SA20 season 2. His average of 44.7 is second to Ryan Rickelton’s average of 58.88 and has the second-most fours in the tournament. An incredible 72.03% of his runs have come off boundaries. Most boundary-hitters sacrifice strike rotation as they hunt for the big hit, not Klaasen. His elite dot ball percentage of 22.3 is probably the best in the league.
To put these numbers into context, compared to the top five batters - which are also batters with 350 or more runs in the tournament - Klaasen has faced the least deliveries.
At the ‘99 World Cup, opposition bowlers knew their job was far from done until Klusener batted. The all-rounder made a habit of blasting South Africa out of a succession of precarious, if not impossible, positions. In Klaasen, Klusener has his own Klusener. DSG is never out of the contest until Klaasen bats. When the 32-year-old arrived at the crease, DSG was on 53/3 after seven overs. At that point, 180 looked like a match-winning total.
After 10 overs, they were on 77/3 and Klaasen was on 15 off 13 balls. 160 looked like something anyone would embrace. But not Klaasen, he knew he was two sixes away from his preferred strike rate and patiently waited for his moment. He plundered 22 runs off the next four deliveries he faced and DSG was on course for a total close to 190. He went on to stitch a 37-ball 101-run fifth-wicket partnership. His 30-ball 74 featured seven sixes and three fours.
Is there a better six-hitter better than Klaasen in T20 cricket? A better middle-order batter? I don’t think so.
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Thanks for reading. Until next time… - CS