CAPE TOWN – Towards the end of last season, fast bowler Ziyaad Abrahams had a taste of the rigours of franchise cricket and now, as a fully-contracted member of the Cape Cobras squad, the former South Africa Under-19 cricketer is looking to make his mark in professional cricket.
Abrahams grew up in Port Elizabeth, playing mini cricket for his school before he made the move to the Western Cape in 2012, attending the Western Cape Sports School.
Coming through the Western Province ranks from Under-17 level, Abrahams was an injury-replacement in the SA U19 squad at the 2016 ICC U19 World Cup. He was then offered an academy contract at Boland and continued his rise through the ranks with his first senior provincial contract in 2017.
It’s been a successful couple of seasons as the strike bowler for Boland and it didn’t go unnoticed by the Cobras management team, with coach Ashwell Prince calling him into his squad for the back-end of the Momentum One-Day Cup campaign last season.
It served as validation for Abrahams, who “likes to bring good energy, personality, character and hard work on and off the field”.
"I'm looking to bring good energy, personality, character and hard work on and off the field."
— COBRAS CRICKET (@CobrasCricket) June 23, 2020
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“My experience of being called up to the Cobras squad last season was good, being in a different environment and learning a lot of new things," he said.
"I got to see and experience the intensity of the game and the way everything was being conducted.
"I was excited when I got the call-up, knowing I was working towards my goal and achieving it for the season.”
There’s no doubt there are opportunities for young bowlers such as Abrahams to step up and he has been studying the best of the best as preparation for his new challenge.
“I have been watching Vernon Philander over the years and a few of the other guys such as Pat Cummins, Lasith Malinga and Josh Hazlewood - all amazing bowlers in their own right.”
When probed about which format of the game he favours, Abrahams’ simple response was: “I love both.
“The red ball tests my character and skills and how mentally tough I am, while the white ball is more about how I execute with different skills and variations throughout the game,” he explained.
The 23-year-old will join up with his Cape Cobras team-mates when regulations allow for the resumption of training.