Wayne Parnell in focus mode - Image by Jeff Ayliffe

The ball is in Wayne's court, and he has his eye on it. In the ultra competitive world of professional sport, some athletes make an immediate impact, only to slde away into obscurity. Others arrive, make the impact, and them grow to become great players, and if they are exceptional, they may become legends.

A chosen few go on to become icons, and names that come to mind are Pele, Michael Jordan, Ayrton Senna and Tiger Woods. Exactly what it is that determines into which group a player falls, is difficult to say, but it's probably a combination of mind set, hard work, god-given talent and just pure luck. A bounce of the ball here, a turn of the ball there, or a lapse in concentration of an opponent.

Teenager Wayne Parnell is the latest sensation to storm into South African cricket. He is a man that selection bosses have been watching for some time, and he paid back their trust in him with bowling figures of 4 for 25 against the Australian batsmen in the 2nd ODI. He's fitted into the Proteas camp like a hand in a glove, and according to the team, is a true allrounder, handy with a bat, and no slouch in the field. So we wait to see which road awaits the brilliant young pace bowler. Obscurity, greatness, legend or icon, only the years will tell.