Who remembers Neil Brand? Probably, no one. Brand was the cricketer who captained South Africa over a two-Test series in New Zealand in 2024. Not that he was a chosen one. The team was makeshift as the main players played in the South Africa T20 league instead. Brand was the leader of that very inexperienced team. Needless to say, the Proteas lost both games without putting up much fight.
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Brand is currently heading Cricket South Africa Invitation XI against the touring Aussies ahead of the first Test, and he made a fantastic 152 on the opening day on Saturday. He took just 174 balls and hit 16 fours and five sixes. With that effort, Brand is back in the limelight.
He has not played for South Africa since that tour. All main Test bowlers from Australia — Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon — bowled on the opening day, and Brand played them with ease. Talking about a chat with spinner Lyon, Brand said: “He was just asking me if he’s getting good shape on the ball. I was like, ‘Mate, you’re probably the best spinner ever – I don’t know why you’re asking me. Someone like Nathan Lyon speaking to you while you’re batting is awesome. He’s someone I’ve always admired as a cricket player … He’s a really nice guy and hopefully I can have a beer with him after the game.”
Brand’s innings was quite clean. There was just one occasion when he needed some luck. On 66, Steve Smith dropped him at mid-wicket. The 30-year-old left-hander was mighty pleased to have played against a team full of big international names. The presence of Smith was particularly inspirational for him. “There’s a lot of heroes in that team there for me, so it’s nice to play against them. They’re a world-class bowling unit and have got the best batter in the world in Steve Smith as well. So it’s awesome to be on the same field as him,” he said.
On that tour of New Zealand, Brand had a baptism of fire. Across four innings, he scored just 66 runs with his highest score being 34. However, Brand now believes that, as a batter, he is better than he was when he toured New Zealand, thanks to a better mental make-up.
“It’s a great opportunity that I’ve been given here and really thankful that I could have taken it today. I’ve worked really hard over the winter on my batting. I feel mentally in a much better space now (than when he captained South Africa),” he said.
“Obviously it was a tough series for us and for our country with everything going on with the SA20. It took me some time to get over that. It was a massive honour … but it took a lot out of me and took me some time to get over that. I’m very passionate about my country and in a way we feel like we let them down. I’m in a better space now.”
The first South Africa-Australia Test starts on October 9 at Kingsmead.