days," he said. "I got my timing back, so I was seeing th

There is a desk in the Western Province Cricket Association offices that once belonged to Thami Tsolekile. Not a kit bag or a piece of cricket equipment - a desk. And a chair, and a computer, and a few notebooks and some pens. Four seasons ago, Tsolekile was a clerk. He was dropped by his home franchise, unwanted by any of the others and his cricket career seemed to be over.It was an anti-climax for a man who had promised so much. As a double international - having also played hockey for South Africa - Tsolekile was a true athlete. He had exceptional hand-eye co-ordination, was fit, fast and skilled and cricket considered itself lucky that he had opted to use the bulk of his talent on it.He was identified as a potential challenger for Mark Boucher - at that stage the word successor was not being used - and was picked for South Africa in 2004. At 23 years old, Tsolekile knew relatively little of the world but enough to realise he was largely not wanted. A public outcry and even internal administrative strife followed his call-up, tainting his short stint.Boucher had played 75 consecutive Tests and was sent to the sidelines as punishment for his rapidly growing sense of self rather than as a response to his loss of form with the bat. He was never expected to be out of the side for very long. Tsolekile knew his inclusion was merely an experiment to see if anyone else had could play in the wicketkeepers role.After three Tests, the selection panel was convinced no-one could. Tsolekile made his debut in India and was dropped after one Test at home against England, although AB de Villiers briefly had the gloves before Boucher returned. His self-confessed lack of experience, showed, especially with the bat, where he managed just 47 runs five innings. He was not as bad with gloves on but South Africa had lost the Test at Port Elizabeth, the first of the series, and wanted a quick fix. Boucher had been considered reprimanded so two Tests later was recalled and Tsolekile faded, as far away as he could, into an office job.Being managed carelessly formed a large part of Tsolekiles retreat into anonymity. He was young and enthusiastic and having a small chance snatched away from him hurt. Although he continued play for Cobras, his spirit had been noticeably squashed. It took a call from up country to revive it.In 2009 the Highveld Lions franchise, then a struggling team, needed a wicketkeeper after Matthew Harris retired. With a history of importing players from the Cape, they asked Tsolekile if he could be lured onto the cricket field again. A new chance with a new team in a new city beckoned and even someone as disillusioned as Tsolekile could see that it would be foolish to turn them down.The change immediately paid dividends. Tsolekile took more catches than any gloveman across the franchise system in his comeback season. Given the tame nature of the Lions bowling attack then, it is not impossible to suggest that Tsolekiles success meant he took every chance that came his way in that period. His batting had also improved - he scored his second first-class century that summer - and starred in a record partnership with Stephen Cook to the end the season with an average of 58.10.Maturity was the standout improvement in Tsolekiles game. Once so hot headed - he was suspended by Western Province hockey for ill-discipline - Tsolekile had grown into a respectful adult. Administrators at Lions hailed and rewarded him for his leadership skills. He was picked as captain of the South Africa A side, elevated to vice-captain of the franchise and installed as leader when Alviro Petersen was on national duty. Under him, Lions qualified for the Champions League T20 in 2010, ending months of sub-standard showings. Tsolekiles glovework has remained his strongest asset but with a top heavy domestic batting line-up that aspect of his game has not developed much further. Still, the selectors were satisfied enough with his progression to hand him a national contract earlier this year, something that identified him again as a successor to Boucher, who announced his intention to retire after the England series.A roadmap was laid out - in which would Boucher mentor Tsolekile - but it seemed to change course swiftly. Instead, Tsolekile was included in various A sides, such as the one that played Australia A in Potchefstroom. On a pitch that was green and where the North West Cricket Union apologised to Michael Clarke for the lack of batting practice his side had had there, Tsolekile scored a half-century. He also played in the recent two match series against Sri Lanka A, where he equalled the South African record for the most catches in a first-class innings with eight.Vincent Barnes, coach of the A side, said Tsolekile was exceptional, in those matches and was definitely ready for international cricket. Tsolekile was also due to travel to Ireland with the A side that will shadow the senior side from August. His plans have been fast-forwarded because of the enforced retirement of Boucher and he now finds himself on the cusp of playing in the years most anticipated Test contest.However, before he even got here, it seemed Tsolekile may find himself an outsider again. Both Gary Kirsten and Allan Donald said AB de Villiers will be the teams wicketkeeper in the first Test. The national selectors would not confirm that they agreed with those thoughts. Instead, they announced Tsolekile as Bouchers replacement the next day and named De Villiers as an option. While the selection panel picks the squad, the starting XI is chosen by Kirsten, Graeme Smith and the touring selector which leaves uncertainty over whether Tsolekile will play at all.With South Africa likely to want to include an extra batsman, he may not feature initially and judging by the reaction his call up has received in South Africa some would prefer him not feature at all. Tsolekile is not a popular choice. There have been calls for Dane Vilas, who was unimpressive in the recent Twenty20 tri-series in Zimbabwe, and Quinton de Kock, who will captain the Under-19 side and has yet to play a full season of franchise cricket, to replace Boucher and Tsolekiles support has been slim and grudgingly given.After years of playing cricket, it is something he is used to. When he was first called up, Tsokelile was labelled a quota player. It is a term he and others of his skin colour - such as Vernon Philander - will have to put up with for years to come. In 2004, it stuck a stigma to him that he could not overcome. Eight years later, Tsolekile no longer flinches when he hears that word. He is more secure than that.In an interview with ESPNcricinfo in December he said: I am a much better player than I was when I first played international cricket. It is something that has also been acknowledged by selection convenor Andrew Hudson. Tsolekile feels he knows his game well enough to make an impact and even though his age, he will soon be 32, may mean he cannot think of spending the amount of time Boucher did in the international game he believes he has something to offer. Now all he needs is a chance to do that. Fake Nike Air Max . Takahashi, who had a 10-point lead after the short program, received 268.31 points after the free skate to finish 15 points ahead of second-place Nobunari Oda. Fake Nike Air Max Shoes .ca NHL Power Rankings for the second straight week, ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Colorado Avalanche. https://www.fakeairmaxwholesale.com/ . 1 position. The Mustangs (6-0), who beat Queens 50-31 last weekend, earned 17 first-place votes and 287 points in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada. Western was last ranked first in the country in October 2011. Cheap Nike Air Max . Paul Pierce couldnt believe he missed at the end. Young scored a season-high 26 points to spark a huge effort from the leagues most productive bench, and Los Angeles beat the Brooklyn Nets 99-94 on Wednesday night after blowing a 27-point lead. Fake Nike Air Max China . A knee to the thigh might have stung him the most, but his sixth straight double-double made up for the brief burst of pain. TORONTO -- By the time Edwin Encarnacion took his curtain call in the seventh inning, R.A. Dickeys rough night was forgotten. The Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher watched as the lineup put on a show and was glad he didnt cost his team the game. It didnt matter that Dickey struggled because Encarnacion and Co. couldnt stop hitting. Encarnacion became the first Toronto player in 20 years to hit two home runs in the same inning as he led the way for the Blue Jays 12-6 rout of the Houston Astros on Friday night at Rogers Centre. It marked Torontos first consecutive victories since its 11-game winning streak last month. "I picked a good night to be very mediocre, thats for sure," said Dickey, who allowed five earned runs on seven hits in six innings. "But we had a great offensive night. I mean this night should definitely be about Edwin and what he did. I mean, how momentous. To get to see something like thats pretty neat." Encarnacion led off the seventh with a solo home run off Astros reliever Paul Clemens. After his teammates ensured him another at-bat, the designated hitter connected on almost the same swing, this time off Hector Ambriz for a grand slam. "Im just thinking, Put the ball in play, so I put it in play, I got a homer," Encarnacion said. "And then the second homer in the same inning, I dont know how to homer (twice) in one inning. I was enjoying the game with my guys, enjoying the game, we were laughing a little, happy because we were on the top of the game. I was so proud when they told me -- somebody I dont remember -- I had two homers in one inning." The last Blue Jay to hit two home runs in one inning was Joe Carter, who completed that feat on Oct. 3, 1993. "To get to see something that you only see once every 20 years is like seeing a comet," Dickey said. "Its pretty cool." Encarnacion had a double earlier to make it a 3-for-4 night that hell never forget because of his place in the record books. "I dont think you can get any better than that," manager John Gibbons said. "Hes had another great year, he really has. You look, hes been steady all year. Early on, he hit into a lot of tough luck early in the season, but I think hes been as steady, probably, as anybody in baseball." Beyond Encarnacion, the Blue Jays offence was steady Friday night against an opponent that has given up the most runs of any team in the majors. They started knocking around starter Jordan Lyles and continued to torment a young bullpen. Seven different Toronto batters had at least one RBI, and every starter except Jose Bauutista and Josh Thole picked up at least a hit.dddddddddddd. It was the kind of collective performance that Mark DeRosa said after a players-only meeting days earlier was necessary. "They all pitched in," Gibbons said. "Thats hard to do, and thats rare where everybody produces like that. But good teams, teams that win, everybodys got to pitch in one way or the other. Youre going to run into stretches where some guys are cold and somebody else has got to pick you up, and then those guys tail off, the other guys usually come back. Nights where everybodys clicking, you get the big, big nights." Friday night became big in the seventh-inning. The Blue Jays trailed 6-4 at the time but made up that deficit quickly with back-to-back homers from Encarnacion and first baseman Adam Lind. Second baseman Maicer Izturis drove in Colby Ramsus -- the go-ahead run -- with a double, and later a bases-loaded walk by Wesley Wright kept things going. Encarnacion then provided the fireworks with his grand slam to cap off the eight-run inning. "It did unravel rather quickly," Astros manager Bo Porter said. "They put some good swings on some pitches and you look up and its an eight-spot." Encarnacion wasnt sure his second home run was gone, but it wasnt surprising to him that he managed some good swings. "Ive been working with my timing the last couple days," he said. "I got my timing back, so I was seeing the ball good." Astros hitters were seeing the ball well, too, off Dickey. The knuckleballer saw his home ERA rise to 5.97, and he gave up his 18th home run of the season at Rogers Centre. "I didnt make many mistakes, but every one I made tonight got hit. Every one," Dickey said. "I did a lot of good things tonight and Im always looking for things for improvement." Improvement could take time as Dickey spends his remaining home starts trying to figure out how to hone his pitching in a hitters park. It played every bit as small Friday night as balls were flying all over the field. The Blue Jays tied a franchise record for extra-base hits with 12. "We really came to life late to take the lead and open it up," Gibbons said. "Its a great place to hit, it really is. We swung it tonight." NOTES -- Lawrie played the entire game at third base after both he and Izturis were listed there and at second on the lineup card. Gibbons said he didnt know who marked 4 and 5 on the card but repeated that he saw Lawrie as a third baseman. ... Astros right fielder J.D. Martinez left the game with a left wrist injury. ' ' '