His skills to rotate the strike, shepherd the middle-order and keep a calm head under pressure, were some of the reasons behind the decision by the Stellenbosch Monarchs to select the 37-year-old Justin Ontong for the T20 Global League, said Eric Simons, a former South African coach.
Simons is an admirer of the ageless performer and World Sports Betting (WSB) Cape Cobras’ player.
“People don’t always understand T20 cricket. If the required rate is 9 runs per over, you need only one boundary and five singles. You can score 30 off eight balls, or you can do it off 20 balls. Justin Ontong is not a Chris Gayle, but Gayle is not an Ontong,” he added.
Simons said Ontong thinks like a batsman. That is why he is also an asset as an off-spinner, because he plans his overs well and his astute thinking leads to the downfall of the batsmen.
The vast experience of Ontong to organize the middle-order is an important factor for the Monarchs, he added.
Simons was one of the leading figures in directing the drafting process at the Stellenbosch Monarch’s table at the Westin Hotel in Cape Town on Sunday.
He shared the table with a planning team including the captain, Faf du Plessis, and Paul Adams, head of the Western Province Academy and U19 team and a former match-winning wrist spinner for South Africa.
Ontong was selected in round eight on Sunday at the T20 Global League at a prize of $50 000.
Ashwell Prince, head coach of the WSB Cape Cobras, says it is wonderful how Ontong has looked after his own body over a period of almost two decades in domestic cricket.
“He is one of the fittest and one of the fastest players in the WSB Cape Cobras squad (at age 37).
“I think he might still have two or three seasons left. In fact, if you look at some of the players in the Big Bash who is still plying their trade at age 42 or 43, Justin might still have four seasons left,” he added.
Prince says if you have a long and distinguished career like Ontong, who will enter his 20th first-class season in 2017/2018, you must possess the ability to deal effectively with defeat and setbacks and you must pick yourself up after disappointment.
Ontong clearly has the ability to bounce back and that is one of the reasons for his longevity.
Prince’s superb assessment is backed up by the statistics. Ontong had a frustrating Sunfoil Series in 2015/2016 by his lofty standards, having scored 527 runs at an average of 37.64 with a highest score of 98.
Ontong was blunt in his self-assessment and said he wanted to set the record straight. He was true to his promise. The stylish right-handed batsman averaged 53.90 in the 2016/2017-season with a best score of 225. He was named the WSB Cape Cobras four-day player of the season.
The Cobras lost by six runs in the semi-final play-off match of the Ram Slam T20 Challenge in 2015/2016 and Ontong was frustrated by his own form in that domestic T20 show piece.
But he bounced back in magnificent style in the Momentum One Day Cup series, striking 439 runs at an average of 54.87 and propelling the WSB Cape Cobras to the final.
“That is such an important ingredient in a player’s career – to regroup after disappointment – and that is what Ontong has done,” said Prince.
Ontong has represented South Africa in 44 matches in three formats.
He has long been one of the consistent top performers at domestic level for Boland, Western Province, the Lions and the WSB Cape Cobras.
In fact, his first-class record speaks volumes He has struck 11 569 runs at an average of 41.59 while also taking 135 wickets.
Like his fellow WSB Cape Cobras player JP Duminy, Ontong offers the full package. Like Duminy he has a so-called “golden arm”. Differently stated, he can take wickets to break stubborn partnerships.
As a fielder, he has set and maintained high standards for the Cobras and during the past 20 years, he has been one of South Africa’s premier performers at domestic level.
His uncanny ability to hit the wickets from cover, gully or point, has endeared him to a legion of South African fans.
“I think one of the things a batsman like Justin has done, was and is to re-invent himself and to turn weaknesses into strengths,” said Prince.
“Justin has added new shots to his repertoire. So fielding teams who studied his strengths and weaknesses were caught unawares when they played against him on a next occasion,” Prince said.