Web of intrigue for Bay as Tahir signed
THIS week’s news that Imran Tahir will play for Port Elizabeth’s T20 Global League cricket franchise will have been welcomed by Bay cricket fans.
The world’s number one T20 international bowler was on Monday revealed as the city’s marquee player and will be joined by a maximum of five more internationals and 11 domestic players.
That makes up a squad of 17 players per franchise but who are those other players likely to be? Unfortunately, fans will have to wait for the player draft or auction on August 19 to find out.
What we know is that, besides Tahir, Port Elizabeth will have another international marquee player within their ranks. That squad member will be one of Dwayne Bravo, Jason Roy, Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Brendon McCullum, Lasith Malinga, Eoin Morgan and Kevin Pietersen.
As for the remainder of the squad, they will be chosen from a pool of domestic and international players that has now swelled to over 400.
“My understanding after a quick look at what the new owner Ajay Sethi is involved in is that he has a cricketing background in terms of his involvement,” said EP Cricket chief executive Mark Williams. “Therefore I think it will go a long way in terms of assisting us with bringing in some international experience here and of course merging that with local experience. We are very happy with our marquee player Imran Tahir.”
Tahir said he was looking forward to bowling at St George’s Park.
“Yes, it will be a nice spin-friendly pitch and I’m looking forward to being based in Port Elizabeth. It’s going to be great fun and I’m sure I will enjoy the vibe and my cricket there. I will just have to check the wind direction when I do my celebrations,” Proteas legspinner said.
Bay fans will be hoping the likes of Jon-Jon Smuts and Colin Ackermann, Andrew Birch, Sisanda Magala or Basheer Walters are on the Port Elizabeth team roster, but the reality of the draft system is that they could turn out for one of the other seven cities. It all depends which owner bids higher for any specific player.
The exact start date of the tournament has yet to be confirmed but Cricket South Africa’s provisional fixture list has the first game on Friday, November 3 and the final on December 16.