Proteas quick Marco Jansen says he has developed a “secret slower ball”.
Jansen made a statement on his return to international cricket, using a mystery delivery to bamboozle England’s Harry Brook in Cardiff last week.
The 25-year-old left-arm seamer produced figures of 2-18 in the rain-affected first T20I, his first outing since breaking his thumb in the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord’s in July.
The dismissal of Jos Buttler was pivotal, but it was the disguised slower ball that removed Brook which drew most of the attention.
“I have developed a secret slower ball,” Jansen told Rapport. “Call it a new off-cutter, but I’m not going to tell people how I do it.”
Jansen revealed he had played through significant pain after damaging ligaments in his thumb while attempting a catch in the WTC final.
“With the second delivery I bowled, I felt something snap from my thumb all the way to my shoulder. I just said to myself, the thumb is completely gone now, so I might as well carry on.”
Surgery followed, and Jansen stepped away from the game completely during his recovery.
“I didn’t think about cricket at all for six weeks after the operation, until the pin was removed from my hand,” he said. Instead, he went hunting near Klerksdorp. “I shot gemsbok, golden wildebeest, warthogs and even a buffalo.”
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When thoughts of cricket returned, so did his determination to improve.
“I told myself I don’t want to come back worse than when I left the game. I want to make a difference from the start.”
Photo: Gareth Copley/Getty Images
