You’ve pretty much burst onto the scene recently Roelof, give us a bit of background to yourself?

"Yeah I think my cricket career basically started in U19’s with going to the World Cup. After that we came back and I sort of disappeared a bit for two years, then got back into it and started playing a few games with Northerns and played there for a good two/three years. I then got a chance with the Titans and found my feet again and haven’t looked back since."

I first noticed you in the Hong Kong sixes and one game in particular where you blasted away all comers with huge hits, and also had to bowl the last over defending only a few runs, taking two wickets and winning the game. Was that a turning point to your performances this year and how was that tournament?

"I think the Hong Kong sixes is more of a festival tournament. It is still competitive but its more fun. Even in a fun tournament like that though, if you perform and the right people see it, you get a chance somewhere else and things went well there and that had an impact on how I got afforded more opportunities."

You’ve had a fantastic domestic season, culminating in a call-up for the Proteas and a spot in the T20 World Cup squad. Was there anything different to what you did this season or did things just fall into place?

"I don’t think I changed much, I just kept playing well and improved my consistency and things started falling into place and I’ve been given my chance."

You’re a big hitter of the ball and have proved that in domestic cricket and in your international performances. However, when you’ve come on for the Proteas and also in the IPL you seem to want to bliksem every ball from the word go. Is that a case of hitting through some nerves or is it a role you’ve been given?

"I think in the IPL and for South Africa the role I’ve been given is to hit boundaries. In the IPL I tend to come in around number 8 or in the last two overs so you have to have a go. For South Africa I have come in around 5 or 6 with the intent to take the game forward. So my role is definitely to hit boundaries and its definitely something I enjoy doing."

I notice your birthday actually falls on New Year’s Eve. How do you handle that, just go big or do you ignore one and celebrate the other?

(wry smile and a nervous answer) "Yeah, its good to have my birthday on New Year’s. To be honest I haven’t seen my last few birthdays through to the end, what with being holidays and some good parties. So…um…yeah, its always fun."