Paarl Rocks youngster Sibonelo Makhanya went from hero to zero in the space of a week for his Mzansi Super League team.
After winning the Man of the Match award with a superb unbeaten knock of 63 in the win over Jozi Stars, Makhanya dropped two easy catches on the boundary on Wednesday night as Rocks went down to Durban Heat by six wickets in Paarl.
The defeat left Rocks in second place and still having to fight for a spot in the playoffs.
Makhanya, though, has an opportunity to make up for his dropped catches when Rocks face log leaders the Giants on Sunday.
Luckily for the 23-year-old, he knows he has lots to learn and won’t lose confidence because of what happened in the previous match.
HERO: Paarl Rocks youngster Sibonelo Makhanya experienced a hero's run against Jozi Stars. Picture: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix.
Makhanya says: “I’m still young and there’s a lot for me to learn and that’s what I’m trying to take from some of the guys around me.”
The Mzansi Super League is a great platform for youngsters according to Makhanya, who adds: “It’s not always about the bigger players in the changeroom, it’s also about what you can get from your own peers and guys that do well on the [local)] circuit.”
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/msljozistars?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@msljozistarswith massive contributions from @Sibzmakhanya, @kyle_verreynne, and @IAmIsuru17. We’ll be back in Paarl on Wednesday! #PaarlRocks #MSLT20 pic.twitter.com/txPRWXUBGP
— Paarl Rocks (@Paarl_Rocks)
He adds: “My career has been frustrating in a way.
“It’s just amazing when it comes together like that, it just keeps me believing that I can actually do it, that it’s still in me.”