Langeveldt's rave UK reviews
2008-07-21 15:30
Rob Houwing
Cape Town - Charl Langeveldt may be considered a pariah by certain critics in South Africa for his controversial decision to opt out of international cricket, but he seems rather more appreciated in England.
The veteran swing bowler, who played six Tests and 59 one-day internationals for the Proteas before quitting in the wake of the "selection for India" hoo-ha earlier this year, has been earning generous laurels for his achievements with Derbyshire.
Langeveldt, 33, presently lies eighth in the County Championship division two averages, and is the second-highest wicket-taker with 32 at 19.09. He has also produced economical stints in limited-overs matches for the midlands county.
What's more, he has been a smash hit in the Derbyshire dressing room.
In the latest (August) edition of the UK-based The Wisden Cricketer magazine, it is said of him: "If there is a list being drawn up of early candidates for the best signing of the season, Langeveldt's name should be on it."
The story quotes teammate and fellow-seamer Tom Lungley, Derbyshire's leading wicket-taker last year, as saying: "Charl has played alongside some of the best cricketers in the world and he's such a laid-back and approachable guy who's always happy to pass on that knowledge to the rest of us.
"Give him a cricket ball and he'll run in all day for you and that's taken a lot of pressure off the likes of me and Graham Wagg. We are definitely a stronger unit this season with Langers in our side.
"I think a lot of counties will be looking at what he has done for Derbyshire this season and wishing they had signed him because he would have done a good job wherever he had gone."
Indeed, there is a school of thought that Langeveldt, had he been available, might have been a perfect foil in the South African squad presently touring England for the genuine shock bowlers with his instinctively fuller, kiss-the-deck length in those conditions.