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Riki Wessels will be aiming to make an impression in Australia more than 30 years after his South Africa-born father pulled on a baggy green for the first time.
The Sydney Sixers announced on Monday that 29-year-old right-handed batsman Wessels is in line to debut in Tuesday’s Big Bash League clash against the Hobart Hurricanes.
It will be a homecoming of sorts for Wessels, who was born in Queensland while his dad, Kepler, was in the midst of a 24-Test career with his adopted country.
Riki grew up in the South African city of Port Elizabeth when his father returned to continue his international career, then after finishing school headed to the UK.
For county sides Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire, Wessels – also an accomplished wicketkeeper – has racked up 7534 runs in 140 first-class matches.
Of more interest to the Sixers, he’s belted 2490 runs at a strike rate of 137.19 in 118 Twenty20 games.
“(Wessels) is largely unknown to a lot of Australian audiences but I’ve played with him before (for Notts) and … he is probably as clean a hitter as you will see anywhere in the world,” Sixers teammate Ed Cowan told AAP.
“And he’s a good player of spin which is a huge factor against the Hurricanes.”
Wessels only landed in Sydney on Saturday – a day after his side scored an emphatic eight-wicket win over the Melbourne Renegades – but he’s ready to step up at Bellerive Oval in Hobart.
“I’m looking out there just to score as many runs as I can, probably as quickly as I can,” a modest Wessels, who has been named in a 13-man Sixers squad, said on Monday.
Sixers opener Nic Maddinson (84no off 54 balls) led the way for the Sixers at the SCG, and Hurricanes coach Damien Wright wants early wickets to put the brakes on.
“Maddinson the other night showed he can be quite destructive … he and (Michael) Lumb up top are pretty dangerous,” the coach said.
“They’ve got some good fire power.”
But the hosts are also full of confidence, having overcome a shaky start on Saturday to belt the Melbourne Stars by 52 runs.
West Indian allrounder Darren Sammy, who smashed 38 runs from 12 balls in an electric performance, is a key part of an unchanged Hurricanes line-up.
Squads
Hobart Hurricanes: George Bailey (capt), Tim Paine, Travis Birt, Cameron Boyce, Xavier Doherty, Ben Dunk, Evan Gulbis, Alex Hales, Ben Hilfenhaus, Joe Mennie, Darren Sammy, Timm van der Gugten, Jon Wells.
Sydney Sixers: Moises Henriques (capt), Sean Abbott, Doug Bollinger, Ryan Carters, Ed Cowan, Luke Doran, Ben Dwarshuis, Simon Keen, Brett Lee, Michael Lumb, Nic Maddinson, Jordan Silk, Riki Wessels.
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