He probably only got the “enforcer job” exposure he did at the World Cup in India because of established thunderbolt Anrich Nortje’s pre-tournament withdrawal from the Proteas picture through injury.
But there can be no denying that feisty Free Stater Gerald Coetzee, 23, nipped into the void with increasingly illuminating aplomb over the last few weeks.
The bandana-favouring speedster to the fore – certainly in terms of scorching strike rate – the national side largely maintained their historical reputation for fielding a quality, penetrative pace attack, even as they came up just short again at the cursed semi-final stage.