Proteas spinner calls IPL an unfair advantage

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Cape Town (South Africa), May 9 (ANI): South African left arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe calls the Indian Premier League an "unfair advantage" but is happy for the role it has played in his call-up to the national squad for the ICC World Twenty20 in England next month.

The "Roelfie" phenomenon that has been well known around SuperSport Park for the last two seasons has now roared on to the international stage, but he was not considered a dead-cert for the 15-man South African squad that was chosen this week for the Twenty20 World Cup.

But that was before Van der Merwe made his bow for the Bangalore Royal Challengers in the IPL.

In his first three matches, the 24-year-old Easterns Titans star claimed four wickets for 77 runs in 10 overs and scored 44 runs off 28 balls in two innings. In Bangalore's most recent outing - the massive defeat to the defending champion Rajasthan Royals - Van der Merwe scored a run-a-ball 15 and bowled one over for 11 runs.There is no doubt the likeable Van der Merwe has made sure to listen and learn from the international stars in the Royal Challengers line-up, especially spin legend Anil Kumble.

"The IPL has been unbelievable, playing with and against the best in the world. And it's been good having a lot of South African players in the Bangalore side," Van der Merwe told SuperCricket.

Van der Merwe made his international debut in the limited-overs matches against Australia and did well enough to suggest he should be on the plane to England.

But he used the IPL to press home his inclusion in unequivocal fashion. (ANI)