Badenhorst doesn't think he's a bowler who can bat.
For that matter, he doesn't consider himself a batsman who can bowl.
That's because Badenhorst sees himself as a genuine allrounder in the making.
"But I can be a bowler who can bat, like today, so I can do that," the 20-year-old from Palmerston North said last night after taking 3-68 from 19 overs, including four maidens on debut for the Devon Hotel Central Districts Stags.
The Stags resumed today at 150-3 after 41 overs in their second innings on the final day of the four-day Plunket Shield match against the Canterbury Wizards at Rangiora, near Christchurch.
The hosts declared yesterday on 251-6 after 75.2 overs, considering day two on Monday was lost to rain at Mainpower Oval.
Wizards skipper Peter Fulton, playing at No3, top-scored with 76 before spinner Tarun Nethula claimed his wicket, while No6 Andrew Ellis was the next biggest contributor on 65 not out, although the pair helped build the total at a reasonably sedate pace.
CD had established a 206-run lead after a shaky start to their first-innings total of 307 all out, thanks to wicketkeeper/No7 Kruger van Wyk, who came to the rescue with 137 following a stuttering top-order again showing a lack of stickability.
But it was another South African-born player, Badenhorst, who did his bit yesterday.
"It was swinging a bit so I was lucky to trap a couple of lads lbw," the right-arm medium pacer said after beating the bat to find the pads of Shanan Stewart and Henry Nicholls in the space of 13 balls.
Badenhorst attributed his success to ex-Black Caps strike bowler Shane Bond and paceman Lance Hamilton.
"It's a great experience and honour to make my debut but my main thing is to learn off more experienced players," he said.
He felt he was absorbing batting tips from the likes of skipper Jamie How and fellow opening batsman Peter Ingram, who were out 17 and 62, respectively, yesterday in the second innings.
For the record, Badenhorst was the only batsman left standing on five runs in the first innings, having faced six balls at No9.
Badenhorst sees his ideal situation as a No6 to No8 batsman who will come in as a third seamer.
Born in Pretoria to dentist Martin and retired property developer Louise Badenhorst, he settled in Manawatu with his parents and two older brothers when he was 9.
"We had some issues at home [South Africa] because the country wasn't safe with reverse apartheid and all that," said the former Palmerston North Boys' High School student.
He attributes his cricket constitution to a good coach, former first-class cricketer Arno van Wyk, at an elite cricketing primary school in Pretoria.
Elder brother Neil Badenhorst, who lives and works as an accountant in Wellington, went on to become a New Zealand Universities cricket representative.
"I started playing in the backyard with my brothers [in Pretoria] from the time I could walk."
CD got off to a crisp start yesterday with Mathew Sinclair (37 runs) and Greg Todd (7) resuming today, with Kruger van Wyk the next batsman in.
Primarily, CD coach Alan Hunt picks bowlers who can bat in the middle and lower order but sees Badenhorst as someone who will be a top-six batsman who can bowl.
"He's a work in progress and someone who is talented with good work ethics," Hunt said, as CD top-order batsmen again got starts but didn't go on to turn them into tons.
Whether ex-international Sinclair turns his score into a century today and van Wyk comes in for a quick but useful knock remains to be seen.
Expecting to add another 100 runs to the total today, Hunt said it would be a tough declaration on a good batting wicket.
"So we need to be careful how many runs they have to chase and how long they will be out there. We want them to go for it and give us something to bowl at."
However, strike bowler Ben Wheeler had picked up a side strain after claiming a wicket for 39 runs from 14 overs, including three maidens.
"We've had another breakdown so we're down to the bare bones again," Hunt lamented, ruling out Blenheim's Wheeler, back from a lengthy spell off through injury, for Friday night's opening round of the one-day competition against the Wizards. That means Nethula, who claimed 2-64 from 14.2 overs, including a maiden, will have to roll his leg-spinning right arm.
"The rest of the guys will just have to pick up the load a little bit more," Hunt said of Carl Cachopa, Kieran Noema-Barnett and Greg Todd although Sinclair can bowl too.