Two years on from his international retirement, Kyle Abbott is well settled in his freelance life as a yorker specialist who also has many other tricks up his sleeve
Deivarayan Muthu16-Feb-2019Kyle Abbott bowled a perfectly pitched ball that seamed away to find the outside edge of Kusal Perera’s bat in the 2015 World Cup quarter-final. It was the wicket that set South Africa up for the thrilling semi-final against New Zealand, but Abbott didn’t get to play that match. Vernon Philander returned to the side for the crunch game and Abbott was once again relegated to the sidelines.Tired of playing replacement man for four years, Abbott gave up his international career and signed a Kolpak deal with Hampshire in 2017. You remember the teary press conference.Nearly three years after being benched by South Africa in the World Cup in New Zealand, Abbott is back in the country, this time as a “carefree” freelancer, helping Northern Knights to the Super Smash T20 final. He’s among Knights’ most economical bowlers this season and has carried the load when Mitchell Santner has been away playing for New Zealand and Anton Devcich for Sydney Thunder.ALSO READ: Northern Knights’ formidable reserves come to the foreMore importantly, Abbott is feeling at home away from home, surfing in Mount Maunganui, reeling in kingfish, and catching up with his old schoolmate Chad Bowes, who was on the fringes of the Dolphins side when Abbott was playing for them and now represents Canterbury in New Zealand domestic cricket. Abbott has also watched on TV as his best friend David Miller has captained South Africa.”David and I go back a very long time. It’s a bit like you get Abbott, you get Miller for free,” he quips. “Watching him captain South Africa is special and I want to play under him… but yeah, very happy for him. I don’t know how to describe our friendship.”Abbott’s great South African dream is over, but he is at peace with himself as he travels the world to play for Hampshire, Khulna Titans, Lahore Qalandars, Durban Heat and now Northern Knights. He is still enjoying himself – reeling batsmen in on the field and fish off it.The stint with Knights came from out of nowhere. After enjoying a homecoming of sorts in the inaugural Mzansi Super League, where he was Durban’s top wicket-taker, Abbott had planned to put his feet up and enjoy Christmas when Knights called him up as a replacement for Chris Jordan, who joined Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League.Abbott has established himself as a yorker specialist – he can nail the stumps as well as spear it wider – an enviable skill honed by playing T20 cricket around the world. This time last year, according to , Abbott was the second most prolific yorker bowler in T20, behind only Lasith Malinga.
Unsurprisingly Lasith Malinga is the most prolific yorker bowler in T20 history: 7.8% of his deliveries are yorkers – 14% better than the second best: Kyle Abbott. https://t.co/WmhRoPEZg7. #CricViz pic.twitter.com/Qfy9TGlZNV
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) February 27, 2018