INTERVIEW
Follow UsCricketers very rarely have a second wind at the age of 36.
When David Wiese took a three-year Kolpak deal to sign up for Sussex at the age of 32, it felt like his international dreams were coming to an end. But that’s where Wiese was built differently.
In 2021, at the age of 36, he was playing for his second international team, Namibia, at the T20 World Cup. Within weeks, he was there holding the ‘Player of the Match’ award for his all-round exploits (66 off 40 & 1/32) against the Netherlands, which led to his nomination as ICC Player of the Month (October 2021).
Thus, started a second win for both Wiese and Namibia at the highest level.
Over the next 34 appearances, Wiese showed his prowess with 532 runs, averaging a staggering 28 while picking up 35 wickets @ 22.9. It was no coincidence that he played an instrumental role in all of Namibia’s famous wins on the global stage.
But it is not just his contribution on the field that has made him a hero; Wiese and co. have also inspired the next generation of cricketers in the country.
“Namibia have had a couple of successes at the World Cup and caused a couple of upsets. It is always nice to know that you played a small part in inspiring the next generation to believe that they can be professional cricketers. For a long time in Namibia, there weren’t a lot of opportunities for young sportspeople or cricketers to make it as a profession. Hopefully, we have shown them that it is possible,” Wiese told Cricket.com from his stint at St Lucia Kings.
Earlier this year, that fun and journey came to an end when Wiese announced his international retirement without any prior indication. While people were quick to assume that it was because he was 39, Wiese says otherwise.
“To be completely honest, age never came as a factor for me retiring. I just felt like it was the right time for me to step away from Namibian cricket. There are a couple of talents who are coming through the U-19 group. I felt that my stepping away from Namibia would give them the opportunity to get a bit of cricket,” Wiese said about his retirement.
With the ODI World Cup 2027 to be hosted in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, it is prime time for youngsters like Jack Brassell, Jan-Izak de Villiers, Shaun Fouché, and others who are waiting to show their worth.
“The next World Cup [ODI] is in two years time. It is nice to give them game time and an opportunity to see what they are about. I just thought for Namibia cricket, it was a great time for me to step back and let someone else get the opportunity. Age was never a factor,” Wiese cleared the air.
But over the last three years, during his time with Namibia, the standards of associate cricket have grown leaps and bounds. While the Netherlands have maintained the gold standard, Nepal, the United States of America, and Scotland have all sprung considerable surprises at the highest level.
“Cricket at the Associate level is tough there. There are a lot of talented guys trying to make it — trying to make it to the big stage. There are limited resources and opportunities. We have seen it over the last year or two: a couple of Associate teams causing an upset,” Wiese said.
“There is a lot of talent floating at the associate level, but also, if you don’t get the opportunity to play against better opposition, you are always going to stagnate, you are always going to stay at a certain level. A lot of associate players need to play against better opponents to improve their skills,” he insisted.
Since the beginning of 2022, with the exception of South America and Antarctica, Wiese has played cricket all over the world, starting from Karachi to Gros Islet, travelling close to 97,000 km en route, representing nine franchises across seven competitions.
If he’s not playing in Karachi, he’s there in Bulawayo, and if not there, he’s in the United Kingdom, representing the Northern Superchargers. Isn’t ‘living out of a suitcase’ taxing for Wiese?
“The last couple of years have been a bit of a rollercoaster for me, playing all over the place. I was fortunate enough to play on the circuit and do what I love in all the different tournaments. It is not easy, a lot of times, you feel like it is Groundhog Day,” Wiese said.
“It is the same morning, you get up, you are training and playing, you have the same clothes in your suitcase. Stick to your routine. You just remember: you are fortunate enough to do this, and always be thankful and grateful for the opportunity.”
Now, he’s miles away from his home out there in the Caribbean, where he’s yet again reunited with his close friend, Faf du Plessis, representing the St Lucia Kings. Ironically, the duo have shared a dressing room on multiple occasions before at Titans, South Africa, Joburg Super Kings, Northern Superchargers and now at St Lucia Kings in the ongoing edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
“He’s [Faf] someone that I enjoy working with as a captain. I enjoy his style of captaincy. He’s the type of guy who allows you to take control of what you want to do. He allows and gives you the confidence to believe in your skills and believe that you can execute what you want to do. He’s a very tactical captain, he’s a student of the game. He does a lot of research on the opponents, he’s trying to give you the best opportunity to succeed on the field,” Wiese lauded Faf’s captaincy style.
“It is always nice to know that you have the backing of the captain, you know the captain believes 100% in you. Off the field as well, he shows interest in your personal life, he always wants to find out what’s going on and if everything’s okay. He always wants to connect with everybody involved in the team,” he added.
Earlier in the ongoing edition of the CPL, the Kings had to play out of their skins to chase down 202 against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, who themselves were chasing an elusive win. At 24/4, it felt like two points were going to be a ‘certain’ for the Patriots, but that’s when a special partnership between Bhanuka Rajapaksa (35-ball 68) and Tim Seifert (27-ball 64) brought the Kings into the game.
The duo put on 103 runs in just seven overs, but with 75 runs still required from nine overs, Wiese was the last of the recognised batters. It was quite a tricky situation, and that’s when the right-hander used all his wisdom and experience to the fullest, helping the Kings chase it down in 17.2 overs, scoring a 20-ball 34 to help the Kings open their campaign in fine fashion.
“By the time I got in, I felt like they had already done all the hard work, and they had given us the momentum. So, when I got there, I just wanted to keep that positive intent and keep the momentum going,” Wiese reflected on his heroics.
“It was about having a conversation with Rajapaksa, just saying, ‘You are playing beautifully, you keep doing what you are doing, I will try to compliment that. At that stage, the wicket was quite flat, and the bowlers were a little bit negative because we took them on. Fortunately, I got there and got a couple of easy runs out there and kept the run rate flowing all the time,” he added.
The common perception of the CPL is that it is a carnival and celebration. However, according to Wiese, the competition is quite unique in its nature because of how ‘competitive’ the teams are.
“CPL is very unique because it is a tournament that is highly competitive, but it has a relaxed nature because everyone loves having fun on the islands, everyone loves a good time here. But when it gets to the field, it is business time. It is a tough tournament in that sense, there are a lot of good local players in the West Indies,” he said, speaking of the CPL.
“That’s what makes the CPL really strong where you come up against teams like TKR [Trinbago Knight Riders], where there are so many superstars,” he added.
Now 39, Wiese doesn’t want to avoid the obvious question: ‘How long before the fuel runs out?’
“I like to think that I have got a bit more fuel left in the tank. I said the other day that my body is like a diesel engine, as long as it starts warming up, everything’s fine. Touchwood, I haven’t had a major injury in the past. The body is still holding up nicely. There’s still a bit of fuel left. As long as people see the value of having me in the team and contribute to the team, I’ll still be around to continue playing,” he said of his ‘potential’ retirement.
Wiese might have retired from international cricket, but rest assured, he will be there on the franchise cricket circuit for a few years to come. His diesel engine is well-oiled at the moment, and it doesn’t look like that vehicle will stop anytime soon.
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