Mattheus Hendrik Wessels, also known as Riki Wessels, is an accomplished cricket player hailing from England. Born in Australia and raised in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Wessels comes from a strong cricketing lineage, with his father being the former Australia and South Africa player Kepler Wessels.
From an early age, Wessels displayed his sporting prowess, dabbling in hockey before eventually choosing cricket as his passion. At the age of 18, he made the decision to move to England to pursue his cricketing dreams. He began his county career at Northants, where his father served as a coach. It was during this time that he showcased his potential by scoring a maiden first-class century against Somerset in 2005.
However, due to changes in the ECB criteria on Kolpak qualification, Wessels had to be released by Northants at the end of 2009. Undeterred, he moved to Zimbabwe to play for the Mid West Rhinos but was soon pursued by Nottinghamshire, who were in need of a wicketkeeper-batsman to support Chris Read.
After a modest start to his first-class career in 2011, Wessels enjoyed a breakout season in 2012, establishing himself as an opener and amassing 905 runs with an impressive average of 45.25. This success continued in the following years, as he was named Nottinghamshire’s player of the year in 2014 after scoring 1,667 runs in all formats. He reached even greater heights in 2015, surpassing 1,000 Championship runs and proving himself as a dangerous top-order player in T20 cricket.
Despite his consistent performances, Wessels narrowly missed out on international honors as he became a British citizen in 2016, just when England was assembling a formidable batting line-up in limited-overs cricket. This setback, coupled with a disappointing Championship season for Nottinghamshire, led to his exclusion from the team as they were relegated.
However, Wessels continued to excel in the limited-overs formats, forming a formidable opening partnership with Michael Lumb and setting a new record for the highest List A partnership in England. His thrilling knock of 146 and Nottinghamshire’s total of 445 for 8 against Northants showcased his destructive talent.
In 2017, he played a pivotal role in Nottinghamshire’s success, helping them win both limited-overs trophies and secure promotion in the Championship. He became the first player to score a T20 century for Nottinghamshire, smashing seven sixes in his 54-ball 110 against Derbyshire.
At the age of 32, Wessels opted for a new challenge and signed a three-year contract with Worcestershire. His decision was undoubtedly influenced by his impressive performance earlier that summer, where he hit nine sixes in 55 against Worcestershire in a T20 Blast match.
With a strong cricketing pedigree and a track record of explosive performances, Mattheus Hendrik Wessels has established himself as a formidable and exciting cricket player in England. His ability to wreck havoc with the bat and contribute as a wicketkeeper make him a valuable asset to any team he represents.
