From Breetzke and Brevis to Brook and Bethell: Six players to watch in Proteas vs England ODI's

The Proteas face off against England in a much-anticipated ODI series starting in Leeds on Tuesday.

Independent Media’s Zaahier Adams selects six players to watch.

• Matthew Breetzke (SA) 

The English should be well-acquainted with the flamboyant right-hander after spells with Northamptonshire in the T20 Blast. In fact, Breetzke has just penned a two-year deal with the Steelbacks. Breetzke has been on a record-breaking streak in ODI cricket, having become the first batter ever to hit four consecutive scores of 50-plus in his first four ODIs.

• Jacob Bethell (England)

England’s new golden boy. Only 21, Bethell was recently named England’s youngest men's captain when he was tasked with leading the national team in the absence of Harry Brook in the T20I series against Ireland. Born-and-raised in Barbados, the blonde-locked Bethell plays his cricket with the cavalier and flamboyant approach of a West Indian.

• Dewald Brevis (SA)

After a breakout tour of Australia last month, Brevis - South Africa’s own wunderkid - will want to continue his upward curve on another high-profile tour of England. Brevis showed off his skills in the T20s in Australia, but was found to be lacking a second gear during the ODIs. Proteas coach Shukri Conrad is adamant that he’s “no one trick pony” and that he will be able to adapt his game to the longer white-ball format. 

• Rehan Ahmed (England) 

England’s heir to Adil Rashid’s leg-spinning throne, Ahmad became England’s youngest Test cricketer 18 years and 126 days old in Karachi in December 2022. Three years on, and now still only 21, Ahmed has developed into a genuine allrounder that now bats at No 3 in The Hundred. He is still a baby though in leg-spinning terms, as David Miller showed recently by smashing for three consecutive sixes, but there’s always excitement when a leg-spinner comes to town.

• Kwena Maphaka (SA)

The teenage fast bowler gets better with every series he plays. He showed his wicket-taking potential by finishing as the leading wicket-taker across both teams in the Australia T20I series. Blessed with raw pace and not afraid to utilise his bouncer and yorker, Maphaka’s development will accelerate on this England tour.

• Harry Brook (England)

England’s new white-ball captain’s leadership skills will be under scrutiny with coach Brendon McCullum still trying to recharge a team that has suffered consecutive major ICC tournament disappointments. There were signs of a resurgence shown in the West Indies when Brook led his team to a 3-0 clean sweep in the Caribbean, but the Proteas will prove to be a much sterner test of his credentials than the woeful Windies.