Orlando Pirates midfielder Ben Motshwari has been rewarded for his consistency for the Buccaneers.
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Motshwari has been included in Stuart Baxter's Bafana Bafana 30-man provisional squad for the Africa Cup of Nations and could be included in the final 23 to go to Egypt next month.
Motshwari joined the Buccaneers after a tough season with Bidvest Wits last term and soon found his feet and place in the Pirates starting line-up. He made 27 appearances in all competitions and it could have been more had it not been for an injury he sustained during the campaign.
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Despite not featuring in any of the AFCON qualifiers, the 28-year-old could see himself playing with some of the best players on the continent in Egypt. His inclusion can certainly not be ruled out, if what Baxter had to say on his performances is anything go about.
"I just think he has been consistent. Pirates have played a brand of football that has been very dynamic, and in that dynamic approach sometimes you can lose the ball a lot and I think Ben Motshwari has shown a good mentality to go with a good understanding of the game.
"He has been consistent. You know when you pick your people for tournaments you want consistency. You want to make sure you don't miss out on people who can change the game. Thembi Lorch has been grabbing all the headlines, but he still needs people like Ben Motshwari who will do the structure pieces to allow him to play. That's the important for me."
Even if he does not make the final squad, Motshwari will know that Baxter is keeping an eye on him.
"Even though I am not guaranteeing him a place in AFCON, but I'd like him to feel that being in his squad is a reward for the hard work," Baxter said.