McKenzie fired up for SA's Bangladesh tour
Source: IOL - Iqbal Khan - April 4, 2003

Ever heard of a cricketer putting his bat to "sleep" or waking up in the wee hours of the morning to check whether it's comfortable or not?

Well, here in South Africa there's one man who does just that everytime - whether he is playing in the domestic competition or on an overseas tour.

Neil McKenzie, the 27-year-old Northerns and South African top-order batsman, is the cricketer who does it religiously.

McKenzie, back in the South African squad after being dumped by the national selectors for the trip to Sri Lanka for the ICC Champions Trophy in September last year and then for the Bangladesh series at home, says: "It's a ritual that I've become accustomed to from the time I was at school. I suppose it rubbed off on me from my father, Kevin who played for Transvaal.

"It makes me feel comfortable, a little more confident and I have control over it when I'm out in the middle - that's all there is to it. It's a habit I cannot kick and I think of it as a safe way to keep me going."

And he also wakes up at night to play with his bat and does shadow batting - for 30 minutes to an hour at times which does not please the hotel guests living directly below his bedroom.

He recalls disturbing the team doctor, Preggie Moodley, clearly while he was in Colombo in 2000.

"We were at breakfast and Doc began telling a few of us about someone upstairs knocking something on the floor for more than an hour late one night. And as he continued his story I just could not hold back and admitted that I was the person disturbing his sleep. He hasn't forgiven me for that right up to this day."

Once he found his kit tampered with by his colleagues in the Northerns team, who stuck his "precious" bat to the dressing room ceiling. Though he was angered by their actions he says he had the last laugh.

"I was annoyed that someone had disturbed my bat's overnight rest. I didn't speak to anyone when I walked out to bat and only returned after scoring a ton - not one of them in the change room uttered a word," he recalls.

The Northerns batsman, who made his Test debut against Sri Lanka in Galle in 2000, is delighted to be back on the international scene. His last Test was against Australia in South Africa when the national team went down 2-1 to Steve Waugh's Australians.

"I had three steady years in the Test team - especially if you consider the poor start I made as an opener in the Sri Lankan series in the sub-continent. Now that I'm back I just want to go out there and enjoy it. I don't want to put any pressure on myself nor do I want to set any goals. I'll take it as it comes," he said from Johannesburg late on Friday.

The talented batsman has made 28 appearance for South Africa, scoring 1 501 runs at 35.73 with a highest of 120 against New Zealand in Port Elizabeth.

He's keen on improving his statistics but he believes if he enjoys the game without putting pressure on himself he could be in the Test squad for a long time to come.

The big incentive for McKenzie and the others in the 13-man squad travelling to Bangladesh early this week is a place in the South African squad for their tour to England later this year.

He said: "I've thought about that but I shut those thoughts and incentives out of my mind for the moment. I want to get to Bangladesh, play good cricket and let the selectors make up their minds about my ability. It will be lovely to tour England but my first task is Bangladesh."

McKenzie was back in the national squad for a short time last season when the Pakistanis and Sri Lankans were on tour here. He played two one-dayers against each of them and was not considered again.

He missed out on the opportunity of playing in the World Cup which turned out to be a disaster for the South Africans, who were dumped out after the opening round.

McKenzie said: "It's hard when you are competing for places in the squad - Boeta (Dippenaar) and I were the one's fighting for one spot and he was preferred for the World Cup. I didn't mind as I believe my time will come and I'm working towards that goal.

"It's a pity that the Sharjah Cup was called off - that tournament would have given me an opportunity of honing my skills in the limited overs game. But I have the triangular in Bangladesh and hope to make the most of it."

According to his standards, McKenzie has not really covered himself in glory in his 51 outings for South Africa in the limited overs games. He has scored just 1320 runs in 44 innings at 35.67 with two centuries and six 50s.

He realises that Bangladesh will be a different proposition on their home grounds but he is looking forward to the challenges that lay ahead of him.