Marco Jansen’s rapid rise may have taken some by surprise but those who helped shape this fledgling career are nodding knowingly.
Jansen, who has shot through the ranks under the tutelage of former Proteas quick Allan Donald at the Knights and erstwhile national spinner Robin Petersen at the Warriors, had a nervy opening burst against India at Centurion, but the 21-year-old has since looked the part. Perhaps, more importantly, like he belongs.
“He won’t play 10 Tests. More like 75,” Petersen ventred to guess.
Donald was even more forthright. “He hasn’t just kicked the door in. He’s knocked the house down.”
He hasn’t just kicked the door in. He’s knocked the house down
— Allan Donald, former top SA fast bowler
They agree on a number of things about Jansen, most notably: “He has a repeatable action.
“When he joined us I didn't want to change anything in his action. Technically he is sorted. He gets into such a good position in his wrist turnover because that helps him release on line,” explained Donald, who knows a thing or two about breaking down bowling actions to its component parts.
“He hits a natural length (2,06m) and gets extra zip. Because of his height he gets more bounce, even on flat wickets. In that regard he is a bit like Bruce Reid,” Donald likened Jansen to the former Australian quick.
Petersen first encountered Jansen, who has a twin brother Duan, when he consulted with the SA under-19 team. He was impressed enough to add Jansen to the Warriors’ shopping list.
Despite the obvious talent, it was a leap of faith.
“We were looking for an all-rounder. We took a little bit of a risk because he was injured.
“We put him in a programme and worked on his diet. There were interventions so that he could be ready to play every game and our medical staff did a great job.”
While both agree Jansen is not the finished article, his potential is vast.
“Fast bowlers are defined by how they perform away from home. He has to do that. He is keen to learn,” said Donald.
The former quick, who often backed up his thunderbolts with a dagger stare, noted Jansen’s mongrel. “He is not scared to ask for the ball. He has the attitude to compete. He has a streak in him and he’s not scared to pick a fight,” said Donald moments before Jansen, as luck would have it, almost went chest-to-chest with India’s Jasprit Bumrah on the third day of the second Test at the Wanderers.
Petersen spotted the same character trait. “He does have a laid-back persona but he is very competitive.”
Asked about Jansen’s batting prowess, Donald was measured. “He believes he can bat,” he said about the player who batted at seven for the Proteas in the second Test at the Wanderers. Donald would have him at eight.
“There is a lot of latent potential,” said Petersen. “He has to build up experience. His batting will evolve over time. He bats at eight for us and will continue to do so for now.”
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