Ryan Klein

Ryan Klein is an immensely talented all-rounder from Cape Town, South Africa. A hard-hitting middle order Batsman, his main weapon is his Right-arm Fast seamers. Having not followed the traditional path of age group star and then on to the big time, Ryan was a standout at South Africa’s premier Cricket school, Rondebosch Boys High School, amongst a variety of standouts from the same school. He has been one of Western Province CC’s best performed players since he joined them, batting in the middle order and taking the new ball.

As he patiently waited for his opportunity with his native Western Province, that opportunity finally came in October 2019 making his First-Class debut in the 2019–20 CSA 3-Day Provincial Cup against a strong Northerns side that rolled Western Province inside 2 days. Ryan held his own though, picking up 2-50 off 17 overs, showing he certainly was not out of place at the professional level. He made his one-day debut a week later in the 2019–20 CSA Provincial One-Day Challenge.

An inauspicious start was followed by an incredible run of form in red-ball cricket from Xmas onwards. Ryan would explode into Provincial cricket collecting 21 wickets in 4 games @ 10.00 with a best of 4-34 against Kwa-Zulu Natal. He’d grab career best figures in the final game of the season taking 7-63 as Western Province hammered Eastern Province, routing them for 44 in the 2nd innings.

Ryan has had one previous season in the UK, playing for Shifnal CC in the Birmingham Premier League in 2016 as an amateur. He scored 307 runs @ 25.58 and picked up 30 wickets @ 16.10 showing his all-round prowess. In summer 2021, Ryan heading to Holland, making use of his Dutch passport and his impact was immediate, being selected for Netherlands A after just a month of cricket that side. He was exceptional for HBS Craeyenhout, jagging 27 wickets @ 12.93. He remained with HBS for the 2022 season and was again a solid contributor, with 25 wickets @ 23.52 and 274 runs @ 22.83.

Ryan seeks a return to the EU next summer and will be a great pick up for any club seeking a genuinely quick seamer that can contribute with the bat in the middle order.