Surreal life: After retiring from the sport, Engelbrecht constructed a profitable profession in finance. But his work took him to the Netherlands, he gave cricket one other shot and have become part of historic wins over South Africa and Bangladesh. | Photo credit score: Getty Images
Flight mode: The son of a world class gymnast, Engelbrecht first made his identify in South Africa as an distinctive fielder with a propensity for taking spectacular catches. | Photo credit score: Getty Images
Family ties: Engelbrecht’s mom, Dina Taljaard (excessive proper), sister and nephews travelled to India from South Africa to observe their beloved one expertise his best sporting second. | Photo credit score: P.Okay. Ajith Kumar
Sybrand Engelbrecht’s major claims to fame, at one stage, had been two gorgeous catches for South Africa — considered one of them off Virat Kohli — on the 2008 Under-19 cricket World Cup in Malaysia. The catch off Papua New Guinea’s Alfred Amini — Engelbrecht flew like a chicken at gully and caught like a goalkeeper, two-handed — stays probably the greatest you’ll ever see in cricket.
But eight years after that match, Engelbrecht retired from cricket, earned an MBA diploma from a prime enterprise faculty and constructed a profitable profession in finance. His job took him to the Netherlands, and cricket was again in his life, as soon as once more. He made an unlikely World Cup debut final month on the age of 35. And completed because the Netherlands’ main scorer.
In a match the place the Dutch group’s major batters struggled, he showcased wonderful temperament and fantastic approach, typically throughout rescue acts. He demonstrated he may — that too on the sport’s greatest stage — do greater than take spectacular catches.
The Netherlands group additionally proved some extent or two, scoring gorgeous wins over South Africa and Bangladesh. Excerpts from an interview Engelbrecht granted The Hindu at New Delhi:
When did you begin dreaming of the World Cup?
It actually solely began taking place as soon as we obtained the eligibility clearance from the ICC, in July. I had advised coach Ryan Cook that I might be eager to place my identify within the hat for the number of the World Cup squad. I requested him if he would take into account me. This was simply earlier than and in the course of the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe. You know, Cooky and I’ve had a number of discussions. I used to be serving to a few the Netherlands batters within the background, throwing a few balls on the guys, virtually in a training and consulting capability.
So, we have now been speaking all year long. I requested him — Would he be involved in having me as a part of the choice pool? Cooky was brutally trustworthy and stated the chances of me getting onto the aircraft to India had been slim as a result of the group had completed so effectively. They wanted to offer these guys choice, which I completely understood.
But he requested me to be accessible for every little thing and rating as many runs as doable. And fortunately, I went on a little bit of a run for my membership Voorburg CC on the Topklasse, the best division of cricket within the Netherlands; it’s a 50 overs competitors. And then additionally made my debut for the Netherlands-A. I made 100 towards Guernsey. I used to be then chosen to the spin camp in Bengaluru.
Before all that, how did you get again to cricket? You had entered a wholly completely different profession.
I used to be working full-time with Fairtree. But I began enjoying in 2021 and I considered a global profession once more as a result of Ryan and the administration workers had created an surroundings that folks wished to be part of.
Now, how do you look again at these catches on the Under-19 World Cup?
It occurred lengthy, way back. But it’s a fond reminiscence I’ll look again at for in all probability the remainder of my life. You know, we prided ourselves on our fielding. Our coach Ray Jennings made us spend hours and hours on fielding.
Your reminiscences of Kohli at that World Cup?
Kohli gave indicators of the participant he would turn out to be even again then. He was unbelievable in that World Cup. And India had a wonderful facet you recognize, with gamers like Ravindra Jadeja and Tanmay Srivastava. Kohli led effectively. He performed brilliantly. And he batted with a whole lot of ease. But I really feel we must always have received that remaining.
Fifteen years later, another gamers from that Under-19 World Cup are right here for the World Cup — Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Steve Smith, Josh Hazlewood, Marcus Stoinis, Reeza Hendricks, Kusal Perera… They have been enjoying for his or her international locations for a very long time. When you stop cricket, was it a remorse that you could possibly not play for the senior South African facet?
I attempted my finest. I gave every little thing that I may. So, after I stepped away from cricket in 2016, I used to be comfortable and I used to be content material. I gave my finest, perhaps it simply wasn’t ok. Everybody’s journeys are completely different. Mine simply occurred to work on this method. Yeah.
At the World Cup you had been in a position to play a few matches in entrance of your mom, Dina, the previous gymnast who had certified for the 1968 Olympics however couldn’t compete due to the apartheid coverage in South Africa, your sister and your nephews.
For them to return over to India was unbelievable. We don’t get to see them that usually as they dwell in South Africa. When they made the choice to return over to India — to be trustworthy — I didn’t know whether or not I used to be going to be within the enjoying eleven. It was nice that I may play in entrance of my mom, sister, and the little nephews Udo and Flin, who each play cricket.
You could not have imagined that you’d make 70, towards Sri Lanka, in a World Cup match with your loved ones within the stands…
Yes, and although I used to be somewhat happy with the best way I batted, it was disappointing that we couldn’t win that sport. I suppose the metric adjustments the older you get. Whether we’re enjoying Sri Lanka or Australia or whoever it’s, it’s about what I can do to attempt to assist the group win.
Who had been the cricketers you appeared as much as, rising up, again in South Africa?
Jonty Rhodes was, after all, an idol. I admired guys like Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis, Hashim Amla, Dale Steyn and A.B. de Villiers. They had been all world class gamers. I believe we had been lucky in an period to observe them play and to cheer for them.
Which Indian cricketers have you ever admired?
Sachin Tendulkar was all the time a unbelievable participant to observe. Virat and Okay.L. Rahul are additionally good to observe, one thing I’ve completed at house, on tv. The quantity of strain that these guys are underneath and for them to constantly carry out the best way they do is exceptional.
