WATCH | 'It's the most precious cap' says Nortje to Test debutant Coetzee

In what was a touching and telling moment of entry of the hard knock school of Test match bowling, Anrich Nortje was given the honour of presenting Gerald Coetzee with his Test cap for his debut against the West Indies at SuperSport Park on Tuesday.

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Coetzee, along with Western Province batter Tony de Zorzi, became South Africa's 120th and 121st post-isolation Test cricketers, with the duo making their international bows against the team that SA first played in Test cricket in 1992 after apartheid-enforced isolation.

Nortje, who made his debut in the unforgiving climes of Pune against India in the testing 2019/20 tour of India and is now playing in his 19th Test, said Coetzee, the 22-year-old fast-bowling tyro from Mangaung, has earned his cap the hard way and deserved his extended moment in the sun.

"Gerald, this is the most important cap we all possess" - Anrich Nortje???Congratulations on making your Test debut Gerald Coetzee ??#SAvWI #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/X1lFAoAmAt

"I'm so honoured to give you this cap because it's the most precious cap that all of us possess," Nortje said.

"You've worked hard, and you've been running in for the Knights, giving it your all, and been bowling 50 overs a week.

"I just want to say congratulations and it'll be a long career for you in the way that you've been going with the hard work."

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Coetzee, who makes his long-awaited Test debut since becoming a breakout Under-19 star while at St Andrew's College, said he looked up to Nortje in terms of how fast he bowled.

"It's something I do want to bring, but it’s not something I want to focus on," Coetzee said on