BLACKBOARD » never misses his spot. In business terms, I tho

Dwaine Pretorius cricketing career was just beginning when it almost ended. It was 2008, he was 18 years old and had been named in South Africas Under-19 World Cup squad, but he never got to the event. On the first of January that year, Pretorius tore the cartilage in his right knee and decided to study instead of play sport, at least for a while.I realised that sport is unpredictable and it would be a good idea to get my career sorted so that I would have something if cricket didnt work out, Pretorius, who has been named in South Africas squad for the one-off ODI against Ireland, told ESPNcricinfo. But my dad said that after I got my degree, he would financially support for a year or two to see if I could make it as a cricketer.Pretorius enrolled in an Accounting degree course at the University of Pretoria and for three years concentrated on his academics. He played for the student team but never ventured into anything more serious until he graduated. Even then, he contemplated furthering his education to become a chartered accountant (CA) before remembering the deal he had made with his father. We went on a family holiday and I said to my dad that when I am lying on my deathbed, Im not going to think that I should have tried to become a CA but I might think that I should have tried to become a cricketer.To pursue that ambition, Pretorius returned to his home province, North West, even though the teams coach, Monty Jacobs, warned him that there was little chance of breaking into the team. Monty said to me the squad was pretty settled and it would be tough to get a game but that I should come through and we could see, Pretorius said.The seeing, meant exactly that. For months, Pretorius trained and watched his team-mates play but did not take the field himself. It was very frustrating, he said. I felt like I was doing nothing and I started to wonder whether that was the best decision for me. Every time the thought came into my head, I reminded myself that I would regret not trying.Finally, in the last game of the season, in 2011, Pretorius got a look-in. He was selected for a three-day game against Kwa-Zulu Natal Inland and went wicketless in the first innings. Things got better when his turn to bat came. He scored 53 and then took 5 for 38 to set up the teams victory. The following summer, Pretorius was a regular and made a name for himself as an allrounder in the shortest format. In five T20 matches he took six wickets at 21.50 and scored 179 runs including two fifties at 59.66. He was awarded the T20 Amateur Cricketer of the Year award at CSAs 2012 prize-giving and was included in the Lions franchise squad to play in the Champions League T20 but his knee had other ideas.He suffered a second injury and required major surgery. At 23, he again thought his career had ended but after fighting his way back, he found a way to resuscitate it by changing his approach. Instead of trying to get quicker, he decided to get cleverer.In my rookie years I was obsessed with pace and I felt like I would never play for South Africa if I didnt reach 140kph. But after that, I shifted my focus, he said. I thought about what makes Vernon Philander so good as a player and I asked guys at the Lions and the answer they gave me was that he never misses his spot. In business terms, I thought that was part of the market I would carve out for myself.Pretorius put his efforts into accuracy, an awayswinger, and developing his all round game. He spent hours with Lions bowling coach Gordan Parsons and in the 2014-15 season was rewarded with a franchise contract. He became an important member of the Lions side and in the following year was judged the South African Cricketers Associations most valuable player across all formats. He was included in the South African A side to play in a quadrangular series in Australia this winter and is now one of three new names in the ODI squad, alongside Andile Phehlukwayo and Temba Bavuma.Unlike the other two, Pretorius isnt part of the squad for the five-match series against Australia that follows the Ireland game. Theres nothing I can do now, no more performances I can put before those matches, so its just about enjoying the experience, he said. It will give me a toe in the door and hopefully I will be able to show what kind of a player I am.So what kind of player is that? In his own words: A genuine allrounder who can offer something different. I want to be in a position to win games with bat or ball. I dont want people to say if Dwaine gets runs, we will be lucky. I want people to expect me to get runs and take wickets.South Africa are still searching for a two-in-one player they can rely on regularly and Pretorius will be up against Wayne Parnell, Chris Morris and Phehlukwayo in trying to claim the spot. Competition for the allrounder role is stiff but I think if I can get my batting solid, I can put some of those guys under pressure for their places, he said. But at the same time, I am not focused on trying to be better than someone else but on trying to be my best.For Pretorius, that means ensuring he puts himself in a position not just to play ODI cricket but to play Test cricket. That would be the ultimate. Maybe if I can score 500 or 600 first-class runs in a season, I will come into contention for a Test spot, he said. And so, at 27, Pretorius finds his career is beginning again. Custom Indians Jersey China .com) - The Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks both take aim at their first wins of the season on Saturday, as the Canucks open their home slate at Rogers Arena. Custom Indians T-shirts . The injury bothered Bledsoe in the Suns victory over the Clippers on Monday and he sat out the teams home loss to Memphis on Thursday night. http://www.customindiansjersey.com/ . Reigning world champion Eve Muirhead of Scotland opened with a 12-2 rout of Winnipegs Jennifer Jones in a battle of teams bound for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Custom Indians Jerseys . What general manager Dave Nonis called "short and productive" negotiations ended with Kessel signing a US$64-million, eight-year contract on Tuesday. Kenny Lofton Jersey Large . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night.TORONTO -- Brandon Morrows season is effectively over after the Toronto Blue Jays starter was diagnosed with a nerve injury in his right forearm. Morrow has an entrapped radial nerve that will keep him from throwing for the next six weeks. Renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews made the diagnosis, which the team announced Thursday. "He was feeling better, but he wasnt making a whole lot of progress," manager John Gibbons said. "They recommended six weeks off, and when you look at six weeks, how much time is left? But the thinking is that they want him, hopefully when that six weeks is up, he starts getting on the mound so that when the year is over hes at least thrown from the mound doing something. So he goes in the off-season knowing where hes at and feeling good about it, anyway." Morrow went 2-3 with a 5.63 ERA in 10 starts before leaving the Blue Jays game May 28 after two innings. Several MRIs were taken on the right-handers sore arm, but all that doctors found was inflammation, according to general manager Alex Anthopoulos. Because of that uncertainty, Anthopoulos said Wednesday afternoon that he wasnt very optimistic about Morrows status. "I dont know enough about the severity," Anthopoulos said. "I just know that its not safe for him to go out there." Morrow had been throwing side sessions while rehabbing in Dunedin, Fla., but Andrews prescribed six weeks off. That would take the 28-year-old to September, when it would be difficult for him to get ramped back up for big-league action. "After six weeks you figure its got to be better, you would hope," Gibbons said. "But Im no doctor." The Blue Jays might noot know for sure about Morrows future until spring training when he faces live hitters again, but they hope hell be able to test things out in the fall.dddddddddddd "If he throws after six weeks and hes feeling good and its all behind him and he gets on the mound, I mean it wouldnt be actual game competition but hed be airing it out," Gibbons said. "Youd have a better idea, anyway." Anthopoulos also said he likes the flexibility afforded the Blue Jays by Brett Lawries ability to play second and third base. But for the majority of at least the short-term future, Lawrie will be a corner infielder. Gibbons stopped short of saying the Lawrie at second base experiment was over for good, but he penciled the 23-year-old in at third base again for Thursdays series opener against the Houston Astros and plans on keeping him there. "We always have a right to change our mind," Gibbons said. "Its not definite where hes going to be only (at third base), but well see how that plays out." Gibbons cited Lawries defensive plays Wednesday night as his reasoning, saying, "Im dumb, Im not stupid. Ive seen him be good, hes always been good." Mark DeRosa might still see some time at third, which would require Lawrie to move over to second. Lawrie is hitting .208 this season -- .215 at third base and .158 at second. According to Gibbons, Lawrie is OK with moving back and forth. "He said, Ill play anywhere, whatever the team needs. That was his answer," Gibbons said. "I said, We dont want to get into the habit of moving you around, but I think it helps our flexibility and who knows what it might address down the road." ' ' '