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Wayne Parnell’s excellent performances at the recent T20 World Cup was rewarded when he was included in the World T20 Cricket team announced at the conclusion of the tournament held in England last month. It has been a rapid rise for the Proteas and NMMU cricket star and he is looking forward to both the Champions trophy in South Africa in September as well as taking on England in the upcoming home series this summer.

His bowling at the death has been his main weapon at the T20 World Cup. He annihilated the big guns against England and West Indies, taking 3 for 14 and 4 for 13 respectively. In the six matches Parnell has played in the World Twenty20, he took 10 wickets, at an average of 16.60. He was one of three South Africans included in the World team, including Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers.

Wayne, still a registered NMMU student last year, is excited with his meteoric rise but he is intent on keeping his feet firmly planted on the ground. After being selected to captain the SA u/19 team in February last year where the team lost in the final, he was selected to attend the National Cricket Academy in Pretoria and this was soon followed by a call-up to the SA A team to play against Sri Lanka A. He also toured Australia with the SA Emerging team in July and then following a string of excellent performances he received a National call up to the Proteas for their tour Down Under.

He received his first cap for the Proteas in the ODI series against Australia in January 2009 and despite his excellent showing at the T20 World Cup, more importantly for Wayne is the fact that he has achieved his goal of cementing his place in South Africa's limited-overs side. He will also be spending time in England playing cricket for Kent in the winter.

Unfortunately Wayne’s studies at NMMU has had to take a rest, but he remains a member of the NMMU cricket club.