How former Proteas opener played role in NZ star Conway being lost to SA cricket

Former Proteas opener and Lions captain Stephen Cook jokingly admitted that he played a role in Devon Conway's departure to New Zealand in 2017.

Cook, a capped Test cricketer whose national team stint came to an end at the end of the 2017 tour, told Sport24 in a wide-ranging interview that while he was captain at the Lions, he was part of the decision-making group that terminated Conway's stay at the Lions.

Conway, now an integral part of New Zealand's batting group that's getting to life with Ross Taylor's retirement and Kane Williamson's extended injury lay-off, had admitted in several interviews that he didn't make the most of his opportunities at the Lions and at the Dolphins.

At the time of his departure, Conway was the second-highest run-maker in the Cricket South Africa Three-Day Cup with 820 runs at 136.66 while playing for Gauteng.

Cook candidly admitted that those are calls one can either get right with a high degree of success or flop spectacularly.

"Sometimes, you get it right and get it wrong. I was the Lions captain when the call was made to drop Devon Conway when we felt we'd given him enough chances," Cook said.

"We needed to move on with a player and different tactics. He wasn't given a contract and we all saw what he went on to become with New Zealand.

"You can make the bold calls. At times, you could look like a genius, and sometimes you won't and those things happen.

"That's why the selectors are paid the big bucks to make the big calls."

Conway's success with the Wellington Firebirds got New Zealand cricket excited to a point where once he qualified to play for the Black Caps, he was immediately roped in.

He rewarded his adopted country with a grandstand 200 on Test debut against England at Lord's and quickly