Player Profile – Nicholas Bayly (St Stithians)
Nicholas Bayly has all the gears. When he arrived at the crease in a game against St John’s College, St Stithians was on 23/1 after 5.2 overs. Saints needed to consolidate and rebuild. So, he dropped anchor, and after three overs, he had taken two singles off 11 deliveries.
Halfway through their innings, Saints had recovered, and Bayly had picked up the pace. Going at just under a run-a-ball, he was on 54 from 56 deliveries.
After he reached his century, the St Stithians’ captain broke free, not because he felt that he had done his job, but because he recognised the need for his side to be aggressive in the last 10 overs if they were to set a winning total.
His contribution from the last eight overs was a decisive 71 runs from 31 balls.
“That was a very good innings. I came in early, and Tom Collins and I built a very good partnership to get us back on track. It was hot, it was 35 degrees or so, but I stayed focused for a much longer time and played some better shots. I had some very good shots against St John’s. I liked that,” Bayly told SuperSport Schools Plus.
The St Stithians’ captain, whom first team coach, Lazarus Mokoena, describes as a level-headed cricketer, was born into a sporting family. His mother, Inga, made the SA Schools‘ hockey team in her youth, while his father, John, had a stint with Leicestershire.
“I think the passion came from my husband, John, throwing balls to him when he was little. We bought him little golf and cricket sets, and stuff like that. My husband is a massive, massive cricket fan. He’s passionate about the sport,” Inga said.
Bayly took his cricket out of the backyard at six and was playing in the Northern Suburbs Saturday Schools (NSSS) League a year later. It was there that he showed his penchant for big scores.
He had barely turned 10 when he recorded his maiden double century. It was the start of a journey that has been littered with accolades from the junior ranks at Bryneven Primary School to the senior ranks at St Stithians.
“My first hundred was a double hundred. I scored a double hundred off around 100 balls. It was quite a fun time,” Bayly recalled.
The teenager, who named Proteas’ legend Jacques Kallis as his role model, offers a similar skillset to the South African great. Bayly bowls first change for St Stithians and the Gauteng Lions‘ representative teams. He possesses the ability to swing the ball away from right-handers and shapes it into left-handers.
“I much prefer my batting,” he admitted, “but I feel like my bowling has come along really well. I’ve gotten better with my bowling over the past two years and pretty much see myself as a normal all-rounder.
“I’ve always admired how Jacques Kallis batted and also the way that he scored so many runs and took so many wickets, as well. If I were to ever be any cricketer, I would be Jaques Kallis,” he added.
His twin skills earned him a place in the St Stithians’ first team when he was still a Grade 9 learner. He received his first cap on a tour of Sri Lanka.
Bayly fondly remembers learning lessons from top players, including Richard Seletswane and Kwena Maphaka.
“Nic is a great thinker, and I love and enjoy his work ethic,” Nqaba Matoti, who has worked with Bayly over the past 18 months, told SuperSport Schools Plus.
“He is a leader who likes to lead from the front. His one failing is that he can sometimes overthink the little things. He must understand that it’s still a game that needs to be enjoyed.”
Matoti’s assessment of Bayly’s cricket IQ and work ethic matches that of the St Stithians’ think tank, which includes Mokoena and Wim Jansen. They see him as a player who inspires and motivates his teammates, and that’s why they entrusted him with leading the first team.
“When approaching captaincy, you have to first make sure that your team is motivated to win. The main cause of cricket is to win. You don’t want to just go there and just mess about. You need to be motivated to the cause,” Bayly said.
While they use different words, Mokoena, Jansen, and Matoti also speak in unison when they discuss Bayly’s most important other skill: coachability.
“It’s really been great to see how he has taken to some of the discussions we have had in our sessions,” Matoti said.
That feedback has resulted in Bayly developing more scoring options on the on-side, especially off his legs. Matoti conceded that Bayly still needs to fortify his technique against spin. However, he is in no doubt that the teenager will soon be a greater force against the turning ball.
“He is hitting the ball sweetly and with so much more control,” said Matoti.
When asked about the future, Bayly repeated what he said when he was 12: he wants to pursue cricket as a career. However, like every good leader, he has a plan B ready, just in case the first one fails to materialise or is delayed.
“I’m quite big on my numbers and economics. So, I’m looking at going into a BCom in financial and risk management at Stellenbosch. That will lead to me becoming a CA or a financial analyst,” he revealed.
Right now, though, Bayly is focused on leading St Stithians to as much success as possible.
