Minor League T20 offer too good to be turned down – Piedt

Former Proteas off-spinner Dane Piedt has given up on South African cricket to sign a deal to play in the Minor League T20 tournament in the United States.

Minor League T20 Tournament draws Piedt to the USA

Piedt said the offer to be placed into the draft for an ambitious American effort at staging a regional T20 showpiece. The Minor League T20 Tournament is intended to be a precursor to a Major League T20 event.

The nine-times capped spinner has spent his entire career under the blanket of Cape Cobras organisation turning out for Western Province, the Cobras and South Western Districts.

Despite already being 30-years-old Piedt hasn’t given up on international cricket and refused to rule out a future in the United States side.

“The USA were given ODI status last year, so it’s not completely out of the question,” Piedt told ESPNcricinfo. 

Piedt has committed himself to the league, but the coronavirus pandemic means much of his future remains uncertain.

“I just signed the deal this morning [Friday 27 March 2020] but no-one really knows when I will be able to travel. It was an opportunity I just couldn’t pass up, financially and for lifestyle reasons, but it was still a tough decision to make.”

Piedt admitted that his prospects of adding to his tally of Proteas caps were slim. The Proteas planned trip to Sri Lanka in June does not include any Test matches scheduled and may not happen at all.

“Shammo [Tabraiz Shamsi] has really made a mark in white-ball cricket, and Keshav [Maharaj] has done exceptionally well for the Test side, he has done exactly what the team needs,” Piedt said. 

“And if you look at the schedule, South Africa are not due to tour the subcontinent again soon, and that’s the only place where I might get a game.”

Piedt said that he had discussed the move with the Cobras top brass before signing the contract. He explained to coach Ashwell Prince that he hopes to take his career to new heights with the move.

“I did it the proper way. I gave the coach a call and explained it to him, and he was very understanding. I explained that this is an opportunity to further my cricketing career,” Piedt said. 

“It’s something different, a new challenge. I have always been someone who goes against the grain.”

Taking lockdown in his stride

South Africa has no shortage of toilet paper

Piedt is taking the national lockdown in his stride using the imposed isolation to spend quality time with his family.

“I had a lot of commitments this season because I was also working as a commentator so I was away a lot, so now we can have some bonding time,” he said. “We’ve bought five board games and my wife beat me at Scrabble yesterday. Today, we are playing a game called Sequence and my wife thinks I will win at this one because it’s all about luck. And we are trying some new recipes, same as everyone else.”