Local fans bowled over by SA20
● From the viral video of “uMelissa” (real name Amy Fuse) and her beerchugging technique, to Imran Tahir pretending he’s 24 and not 44 or Heinrich Klaasen’s country mile sixes, the second season of the SA20 has quickly established itself on the South African sporting calendar.
Cricket SA, the league’s majority shareholder, has had a difficult time lately, badly managing the David Teeger affair, and then the fallout from its decision to send a weakened team for two Tests to New Zealand — because of the SA20, but mainly because they, as Proteas Test coach Shukri Conrad put it, “stuffed up”.
However, once the tournament started — after a brief delay when the first match was rained out — it quickly garnered mostly positive attention for the sport. “I love the comp, it is outstanding,” said former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming, who coached the Joburg Super Kings.
“The short nature of it, it can be demanding ... with a bit of travel. It’s intense and it’s incredibly well supported.
“All in all it is in great shape. We need to protect that and nurture that and make sure it keeps growing because this is a great place to play cricket, and a great environment to be a part of.”
The league’s television viewership figures indicate growth in season two, with more than 1-million unique viewers — a criteria that is based on five minutes of consecutive viewing — for the first two weeks of this year’s tournament. One area of concern would be the average age of that viewing audience, which media research company Nielsen said was 57 years old. About 16% of the audience is aged 24 or younger, according to the data.
That is an area that will require significant growth but is also an indication of a wider problem facing television. Most young people have moved to consuming TV shows via their phones or tablets and through streaming services. The league said it had seen significant growth in online engagement.
While the marketing of the tournament, and the commercial partners it attracts, is imperative for its stability, SA20 commissioner Graeme Smith has reiterated on numerous occasions the importance of the quality of play on the field.
It’s an area Fleming, who also coaches in the Indian Premier League, said the competition needed to be wary of. “The wickets after the first week have dropped off a little, which has created a bit of inconsistency with performances and games,” he said.
“We are in the entertainment business, so we have to make sure the balance is right. I don’t mind a game that is dominated by the ball every now and then, we just have to make sure that, entertainment wise, the crowd gets what they want to see.”
From a Proteas T20 World Cup perspective, the SA20 has provided head coach Rob Walter with some intriguing selection options — whether it be Ryan Rickelton, Matthew Breetzke or Jordan Hermann at the top of the order. Tristan Stubbs and Donavan Ferreira will be challenging for a middle order position, and Ottniel Baartman has again put his name up for consideration, particularly with his ability to bowl at “the death”.