Captain Shan Masood has already called him “the guru”, an affectionate description for a man with 330 career T20 appearances, 3,770 runs and 260 wickets.
And fellow all-rounder Matthew Revis, who spent time in the Namibia international’s company earlier this year, has talked up his relaxed approach attitude.
Wiese, 38, was playing for the Gulf Giants in the UAE International T20 League in January. Ottis Gibson was there as assistant coach, and he had agreed with the franchise that a handful of Yorkshire bowlers could go and train with them. Revis was one.
“He’s pretty chilled,” said Revis. “That will be good for us – another calm head to have around.
“When the other teams gets on top, the game can move quite quickly. Especially if he’s bowling, I’m sure he will slow it down and control the game in his own way.
“For all of our young bowlers, and even Jordan Thompson and people like that, we can all learn a lot from him. That’s not just his skills, but the way he carries himself.”
Wiese has come to Yorkshire on the back of an Indian Premier League campaign with the Kolkata Knight Riders, who failed to get beyond the group stage.
Unfortunately for him, he only played three games. But for the Vikings, that will mean he is fresh and ready and raring to go against the Rapids.
Friday’s clash will be the second North Group outing for both teams. Yorkshire were beaten by hosts Birmingham Bears at Edgbaston in Saturday’s Blast Off event, while Worcestershire and Matthew Waite travel to Northamptonshire this evening.
Revis was one of the positives out of the Birmingham game, returning an impressive 2-25 from four overs of seam as the Bears recovered from 51-4 to post 200-6. His haul included the dangerous Ireland opener Paul Stirling.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Matthew Revis.
It came after a frustrating start to the season for the 21-year-old, who had only played two of the opening five LV= Insurance County Championship matches.
“He bowled really well,” said coach Ottis Gibson.
“Last year, at the end of the season, Rev wanted to go to Australia, and I said, ‘Look, stay home for another year and let me get the opportunity to do some work on your bowling’.
“I think his bowling’s come on leaps and bounds, and he’s not really had the opportunity in red ball cricket to show that improvement.”
Saturday evening was a significant moment in Revis’s young career.
Ok, Yorkshire were beaten. But Revis performed well at Edgbaston, the venue where in last his T20 appearance for Yorkshire last July he conceded 36 runs in only 1.4 overs as Lancashire and Phil Salt, in particular, took him to task chasing down a 205 target to win the first semi-final at Finals Day.
“It was nice to go there and put it right, almost,” he said.
“When it doesn’t go right for you on a big stage, you analyse where you go wrong and where you can get better, and I felt I did that against Birmingham.
“I felt like I was more in control of my emotions and was able to use that to help stick to my plans.
“I’ve worked really hard to get stronger in the gym. In the cricket sense, it’s been about being more consistent. That’s one of the biggest things I could get better at. If I can nail my consistency in red and white ball, I’ll have a decent summer hopefully.”
Captain Masood was frustrated at seeing his side let a position of strength slip with the ball. But he was far from despondent.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com. Shan Masood
He said: “It’s a 14-game competition. What matters is the momentum you carry at the back end of the tournament. I was with Derby last year, and we had four losses from the first six and ended up winning nine games.”
Masood has been with Yorkshire a little over a fortnight, leading the side in one Championship and one Blast game to continue what has been a hectic personal schedule, including recent international commitments against New Zealand.
“I’ve been on the go since October 2021,” he said.
“I’d taken a month off when my sister passed away. Since I came back, it’s been cricket non-stop.
“I ended the New Zealand series at 1am and flew here at 8am. I managed to dislocate and fracture my (little) finger before the start of the ODIs.
“There were a lot of things going on pre joining Yorkshire, but ever since I came here it’s been really nice.
“I feel really welcome and don’t feel like somebody new in the dressing room.
“The finger’s better. It takes four weeks for the swelling to go down, and it happened on April 26. Not many people are aware of it. It was a freak accident. I tried to dive and field a ball and the finger went the other way. It’s the first time I’ve had it.
“I played for Pakistan with some injections, and it has settled down now. I don’t need any more injections.”
