Tsotsobe aims to reclaim Test spot

There's a lot more on Lonwabo Tsotsobe's mind than winning ICC silverware next month. The left-armer's life is changing quicker than the speed he would like to bowl at, with a move to Johannesburg the latest in his roving domestic career. He hopes this decision will be the one that directs his destiny.

"I want to get back into the Test side and I want to get back my No.1 ODI ranking," he said ahead of a bowling session with his new franchise, Lions. Tsotsobe contacted Lions' coach Geoff Toyana and bowling guru Gordon Parsons to ask for personalised net sessions ahead of the South African squad's departure for the Champions Trophy in England on Saturday.

As one of the few players who have not been engaged at either the IPL or on the county circuit, Tsotsobe feels he needs overs under his belt before the next set of national assignments. He is expected to be heavily involved in the Champions Trophy and the limited-overs series in Sri Lanka but he has his eye on the future beyond those two events.

"I was recognised in the four-day format first and that's how I got my opportunity in the one-day team. But I want to be part of the Test side as well, especially because it's the best team in the world," he said. "I know the next Test matches are not until October so I think I have enough time to prove what I am capable of. I want to prove to myself that I can do it."

Tsotsobe enjoyed two profitable seasons of first-class cricket with the Warriors before he made his ODI debut in January 2009. In the 2006-7 summer he took 35 wickets at 19.05 and followed it up with 49 scalps 23.57, which included his best figures of 7 for 39.

That career highlight was achieved at the Wanderers, the stadium he has chosen as his new home ground. "I think conditions here will help my career," he said. "I want to associate myself with a winning team in all formats and get to make use of some of the bounce available here, especially in the first-class game."

With Tsotsobe not currently involved with the Test squad, it is likely he will have the time to play for the Lions especially in the early season and so, have significant game time on the Bullring's strip. He has isolated specific things to work on in the longest format in order to put himself in the best position to contend for a Test recall.

"I want to get back my inswing because I think that would make me quite dangerous to the right-hander. I also want to get my speed up so that I am consistently bowling around the 140kph mark. At the moment I bowl in the late 120s and mid-130s. On a good day, I can get it up to 138kph. With the type of players we are up against, bowling swing at around 125kph means you will just get hit out of the park. If I get quicker, I'll be able to offer more."

Tsotsobe understands that a lack of pace is one of the main reasons he has fallen behind in the Test queue. With Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel the incumbents, there is already a tussle for who is next in line of Rory Kleinveldt, Kyle Abbott and the fit-again Marchant de Lange. But he also remembers when he used to be the third seamer and how he got there.

For five Tests between June 2010 and January 2011, Tsotsobe was the third prong. He played in a series in the West Indies and the drawn rubber at home against the then-No.1 team, India. His return was modest - nine wickets at 49.77 - but he was acting simply as a foil to Steyn and Morkel.

Tsotsobe was all about control but that was quickly forgotten, especially with the changes South Africa underwent. Between January and November 2011, South Africa did not play any Tests, Gary Kirsten was appointed head coach and Philander, who was tearing up the domestic circuit, could no longer be ignored. Someone had to be moved sidewards and Tsotsobe was that person.

"It hurt a little bit," he admitted. "And I think it played in a role in some of my one-day performances since then. I wasn't too confident in my game." Tsotsobe slipped from No.1 on the ODI bowling rankings to No.5 and could no longer even count himself a regular member of the one-day team.

He spent many months traveling with the squad, but as a 12th man. "The positive side of not playing is that I had a lot of time to work on my fitness with Rob Walter (the conditioning coach)," he said. "But when you're playing your mind is thinking all the time so that's obviously better."

At the Lions, he is certain to play whenever he is available. That should be more regularly than he was for his previous union, the Dolphins, for whom Tsotsobe only played 50-over matches, because he is relocating to Johannesburg permanently.

He also seems to have already made himself more at home on Corlett Drive than he ever did at Kingsmead. Without the season having even started, Tsotsobe has called on the coaches for assistance and spent a few hours on Monday afternoon discussing and practicing what lengths to bowl in the United Kingdom in June with Parsons, whom he hardly knows but wants to learn from.

"Gordon seems like a nice guy and I am going to do what he tells me to," he said. "The same with Geoff. I think he can talk some sense into me. I don't believe in favours. I believe in working hard to get selected."