David Bedingham, known as 'Hungy', has openly stated his desire to regain a spot in the Proteas team for Test matches, following two hundred runs he scored for WP Cobras.
Seasonal tour to South Africa
Bedingham demonstrated excellent form in the last weekend at Newlands while playing for WP Cobras. After his double century led to a dramatic 44-run victory for WP Cobras on Sunday, he exclusively told IOL Sport that he remains determined and believes he is capable of performing well.
His game is characterized by simplicity and directness, reminiscent of his batting style when fully concentrated. He simplified his technique during the winter period spent with Proteas former batting coach Dale Benkenstein, who mentors Bedingham in the Durham County Championship team.
The former Wynberg Boys’ High prodigy noted that the experience helped him significantly improve his game and clear his mind. He admitted that last year his technique was imperfect due to overthinking everything. Therefore, he returned to basics, focusing on not analyzing every ball, understanding that the next delivery is always the most important, regardless of previous mistakes.
Technically, he changed his trigger movement this season but emphasized that the main thing is to track the ball without thinking about anything else but the red ball.
These mental changes have paid off: Bedingham has scored over 1000 runs, helping Durham return to Division 1 next season. Furthermore, he scored 129 runs in the first match and 114 in the second against Dolphins last weekend, surpassing the 10,000 first-class run mark at the age of 32.
This significant milestone was reached at a time when his performances could be particularly relevant. Previously, having played a key role in Proteas' success at the Test World Cup, Bedingham participated in crucial moments at Lord's. However, he was not included in the squad for tours to Pakistan and India at the end of last year's cycle.
Now that Proteas is preparing to face Australia, Bangladesh, and England at home this season, Bedingham is back in the national spotlight. Yet, he does not take it for granted. He recalls a conversation with Proteas coach Shukri Conrad, where he mentioned that as a schoolboy, he would have accepted one Test, so the opportunity to play 15 matches is special. He added that he would like to play more, but if it doesn't happen, then so be it, and that's when he plays best when not under excessive pressure.
Additionally, Bedingham batted at number 3 for WP Cobras in a first-class series. This shift in order is interesting because Proteas has yet to decide on its number one batsman, and Bedingham could be the last player Conrad tests in this critical position. Bedingham is not overly concerned about the change of position and approaches it philosophically again, stating that he doesn't care where he bats; he just enjoys playing.