Devon Conway: Why He Wasn't a Star from 2010-2017

[StephenZA]

Yeah I said nothing about quotas even though I hate them, because I don't think they really played a major part in this. This was just bad talent identification and/or impatience with early mediocrity. It's also worth noting that he spent a large part of his early franchise career out of position - he both opened and batted 6/7 a fair bit. He probably should've been able to cope bith both (he would now IMO), but when you're giving him 1-2 games at a time it can definitely lead to him not doing so immediately and teams missing out on a gun.

An underlying issue here is just SA itself. Why was Conway willing to settle in NZ and play FC cricket there rather than doing the same in SA. That is not just about getting opportunities in team it is about making money and importantly a life for yourself. If you look at guys like P. Malan and Rassie of similar age now, they are being given opportunities at international level. Probably having had to go through the same that Conway has in NZ. So NZ probably offered a better life for Conway.

 

[Prince EWS]

An underlying issue here is just SA itself. Why was Conway willing to settle in NZ and play FC cricket there rather than doing the same in SA. That is not just about getting opportunities in team it is about making money and importantly a life for yourself. If you look at guys like P. Malan and Rassie of similar age now, they are being given opportunities at international level. Probably having had to go through the same that Conway has in NZ. So NZ probably offered a better life for Conway.

It's hard to get inside his head, but I reckon Conway felt a bit rorted by his treatment in a way that Rassie and P Malan didn't. I know Pieter has had had a similar career at times in being left in three day cricket, but even before he left for Smellington Conway's career was clearly something different, especially going back to youth cricket times. And especially, er, compared to watching these guys bat (and I love Rassie and think he could average high 30s-low 40s in Tests, but clear no-Test-Conway is the better talent).

Alternatively (or concurrently), Conway had a personality more likely to make him go the NZ route. I do think the guys you mentioned are much less "obvious" talents though, whether or not they end up better Test players than Conway, and they would've known that. When you're working your way up through the ranks via numbers it's a lot easier to stay where you are; when you're doing it through looking like David Gower you can take shortcuts sometimes. If only those shortcuts transferred to the CSA franchise system.

 

[Flem274*]

before he left for Smellington

 

[Prince EWS]

I enjoyed doing that in such in seriouscatseriouspost post.

 

[Immenso]

When did Franchise cricket begin SA? Was any of his early stuff in 4 day Currie cup?

 

[GoodAreasShane]

The franchise system started in 2004-05, so nope

It is an interesting case Conway, doesn't seem to be any one clear reason why his career has turned out the way it has

 

[Kippax]

 

[Kippax]

He probably didn't make a lot of the runs he was hoping to in the weeks after that article. Dominic Hendricks and a very young Quinton de Kock were Gauteng U19's batting stars, in the red ball three-dayer tourney I've found some stats for. Colin Ackermann the tournament's batting king overall with 400 runs and a 200 average.

 

[SeamUp]

Funnily enough when I read that Ray White article I was scurrying around trying to find out who he was talking about at the time.

Ray Jennings created a 3-day U19 tournament before Coke Week which unfortunately stopped a while ago for financial reasons.

I saw he did this : (not sure how to get the scorecards visible for you guys ?) Scored a 205 & 146

https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/181/181261.html

https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/181/181267.html

https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/181/181273.html

I then did research and found out it was definitely Devon Conway. He then failed at Coke week and missed out on SA School selection. Colin Ackermann did too funnily enough.

But looking at that Gauteng u19 batting. They just keep churning the numbers since.

D.Hendricks (1990) St Davids
Rapulana (1991) Jeppe
Conway (1991) St Johns
Bavuma (1990) St Davids
de Kock (1992) KES
Nofal (1991) KES

Funny looking at that now and no St Stithians. But I mean if you look at that, his good friend Malcolm Nofal even made the SA u19 team for his year who had no where near the talent he had. Plays at Wellington with him now.

 

[nzfan]

I'd love to see Conway go really well at the top level but as much as I'm excited I'd wait a wee bit to see how he goes. It may take a little time for him to settle down at that level. In his best interest if he's not picked for T20 WC that will work for him. The WC T20 in Australia where he has never played before and against an altogether different quality attack may be over whelming. If they wait up a little while and get him in after the WC he'll have a slightly easy ride.

Best to start him in Nov. West Indies playing 3 tests at home followed by 2 tests and 3 ODIs vs Pakistan. Let him settle down a bit rather than throwing him at the deep end for the WC.

 

[Kippax]

Funnily enough when I read that Ray White article I was scurrying around trying to find out who he was talking about at the time.

Ray Jennings created a 3-day U19 tournament before Coke Week which unfortunately stopped a while ago for financial reasons.

I saw he did this : (not sure how to get the scorecards visible for you guys ?) Scored a 205 & 146

https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/181/181261.html

https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/181/181267.html

https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/181/181273.html

I then did research and found out it was definitely Devon Conway. He then failed at Coke week and missed out on SA School selection. Colin Ackermann did too funnily enough.

Thanks very much SeamUp, yes, if Cricket Archive scorecards are posted like this, I'm usually able to hit stop in the browser in time, then get them.

Lbw to Kaber. That reminds me of....

I've never seen Kaber bat or bowl in my life, but maybe he's one who could take advantage of Jeets' retirement, also Conway being poised for an NZC contract, rather than a Firebirds one. Peter Younghusband would become his arch-rival for getting a good amount of game time.

 

[SeamUp]

Thanks very much SeamUp, yes, if Cricket Archive scorecards are posted like this, I'm usually able to hit stop in the browser in time, then get them.

Lbw to Kaber. That reminds me of....

I've never seen Kaber bat or bowl in my life, but maybe he's one who could take advantage of Jeets' retirement, also Conway being poised for an NZC contract, rather than a Firebirds one. Peter Younghusband would become his arch-rival for getting a good amount of game time.

Bloody hell Kippax that is a find-a-half.

 

[Prince EWS]

Bloody hell Kippax that is a find-a-half.

Haha I suspect he recently decided to search the forum for Conway. Still awesome though.

 

[Kippax]

Oh I see Kaber has been angling for something, a ticket out perhaps. A video was made by an agent for Kaber in September. This puts me in a tricky position of getting in the bad books of the wonderful Mark Borthwick, by trying to pit new and battle-hardened veteran rivals against his Brett Johnsons and co. that he's raised here in town from scratch. If anyone wants to see how Kaber fares in New Zealand domestic cricket, it's up to some of the rest of you to give him the tip to have a good look at a post-Jeets Wellington. Tell him about how Rippon enjoys the way New Zealand offers just enough for a both-ways wrist spinner to have that killer '9 wickets plus a 90 with the bat' type of outing, a very good performer in the CricketWeb draft points.

 

[Kippax]

There's Dominic Hendricks, we were just talking about him in this thread. Kaber getting him played on with a nice one in a game that was just played. I can tell by the swerve he can get on some of them through the air that even though our pitches are far less helpful, if he came out to Wellington he probably would have the measure of Younghusband.

 

[Kippax]

Very stylish boundaries for someone who could come in as low as No. 8 and still leave you feeling very comfortable with team balance. Kaber! Let's make it happen.

 

[Flem274*]

your team just finally got gud with some homegrown players, stop encouraging them to import randoms again.

 

[Kippax]

Yes it was Troy Johnson who came into the Firebirds and just started anchoring every innings, wasn't it. My mistake.

 

[Kippax]

Actually Andrew Fletcher did sort of do this for real in one format, so fair enough. Not that Younghusbund is really a local who can lobby for tons of protectionist policy if he fails to fire post-Jeets.

 

[Flem274*]

if you're going to be silly about it send us rachin and sears then.

nothing wrong with a good import, and wellington have been smart in recent times, but when you're finally bringing good talent through it would be nuts to encourage wellington back to the anthony stuart and jamie siddons days.

blundell, rachin, bhula and sears are nz standard talents and you've molded colson, newton and mcpeake into good solid domestic cricketers. why risk that progress?