Proteas to boost new T20 series

ARRAY OF STARS: NATIONAL PLAYERS READY FOR ACTION

It will be a close race, predicts Kepler Wessels.

The letters “AB” and “JP” are looming large over the RamSlam T20 Challenge which returns on Friday with all the fit Proteas available to play, but Dolphins captain Khaya Zondo is stressing the need for his team to ignore the names as every franchise tries to get a decent head start with everyone in action over the weekend.

AB de Villiers will boost a Titans team that has won the trophy for the last two seasons, while JP Duminy joins Hashim Amla and Vernon Philander in the Cape Cobras outfit. David Miller is a similarly potential matchwinner for the Knights, while the Highveld Lions welcome back the irepower of Kagiso Rabada, Dwaine Pretorius, Aaron Phangiso, Wiaan Mulder and Beuran Hendricks.

The Titans will also be able to field Quinton de Kock, Farhaan

Behardien and Tabraiz Shamsi, while Dale Steyn and Chris Morris are also likely to return during the competition.

The Dolphins will boast Imran Tahir, Andile Phehlukwayo and Robbie Frylinck, three highly-skilled exponents of T20 cricket and Zondo said he expects a lot from them.

“I’m expecting a lot as captain because those guys have experience at international level and they must bring that to the franchise now. We want to start well, because that takes a lot of pressure off. It’s important that our domestic guys aren’t star-struck when they bowl to batsmen like AB and JP, we don’t want to be playing the name,” Zondo said yesterday at the announcement that Ram Hand-to-Hand Couriers have returned as the naming rights sponsors.

Former South African captain Kepler Wessels, who also led Griqualand West to a shock day/night title in 1998/99, said it was difficult to predict a winner.

“It’s an opportunity for domestic players to play at a higher level for six or seven weeks. They can really measure where they are, which is very good. But with more impact players in every team with the Proteas playing, it makes it very difficult to pick a winner.

“Hopefully they market it as a family day because that has really worked in the past,” Wessels said.

Morris, who said he was hoping to return from a back injury midway through the competition, agreed.

“As successful as the Titans have been, I don’t think we’re favourites. You’re always going to have that ‘X’ on your backs as defending champions, which is quite daunting, but with all the internationals back, I think it’s anyone’s trophy.

“It doesn’t matter how many superstars you have, what matters is the cricket played by the whole team,” Morris said.