CRICKET SA cricket’s super six players
These players are the rising stars to look out for this summer
SOUTH African cricket has felt the harsh realities of an economy in recession, with the domestic senior professional season starting next week two competitions are without sponsors.
For all of Cricket South Africa’s attempts at positive spin about its finances at its AGM two weeks ago, the reality for the local game is that the Four-day Franchise Challenge as it’s currently known, that starts Wednesday in Centurion, has no sponsor, nor does the domestic T20 tournament or the other T20 tournament over which there’s been so much to-ing and froing in the last 18 months.
The country’s economy being what it is - presidential stimulus notwithstanding - Cricket SA’S struggles to find sponsors for local tournaments for which viewership figures are low, is understandable. The fact that companies seem willing to back domestic franchises on an individual basis is perhaps encouraging, and CSA remain optimistic of signing headline sponsors for the domestic competitions.
Meanwhile the show must go on and for the defending champions the Titans, that show starts a little earlier owing to commitments they have towards an international T20 tournament in Abu Dhabi next month.
The Titans won the then Sunfoil Series on the last day of the 2016/17 season and return as favourites once more with a squad that has typically tremendous depth to which they’ve added some healthy young talent.
They face the Dolphins at Supersport Park, a team that last year showed huge improvement under the progressive coaching of Grant Morgan.
For all the concerns over first class cricket it is still the foundation upon which players must build their game and as the Proteas continue to push India for the no.1 Test spot, the fourday competition has an important role to play in ensuring the national side remains a robust and competitive unit.
With that in mind, Independent cricket writers, Zaahier Adams, Lungani Zama and Stuart Hess take a look at six players (one from each franchise) to watch out for this season:
Bizhub Highveld Lions - Ryan Rickelton Still 22, the St Stithians graduate will be looking to cement a place in the Lions’ starting team this summer and to prove he can contribute in the longer format too. Rickelton’s an immensely talented and hard hitting left-hand batsman, who’s featured exclusively in the Lions’s limited overs teams. Given the team’s problems with the bat last season, it was somewhat strange he never got a chance to display his wares for the franchise, especially given his success for the semi-pro Strikers side, for whom he scored nearly 600 runs at an average of 65.77. He made two half-centuries and was the second highest run-scorer for an SA Emerging side that played a pair of four-day matches against a Sri Lankan development team in the sub-continent earlier this year.
- Wandile Makwetu Another St Stithians grad and one of the most highly rated junior players in the world, Makwetu hopes to accelerate his development through the highly productive structures at the Titans, including champion club side Tuks, where he is enrolled. The Titans have a plethora of top quality personnel at
Mark Boucher’s disposal and it shouldn’t surprise if Makwetu doesn’t grab attention immediately. But he’s a magnificent talent, who played a couple of smart innings for the SA under-19 side at the junior world cup earlier this year. The fact that he chose the Titans over his ‘home’ union the Lions is perhaps an indication of his ambition and willingness to work hard. His progress will be closely monitored. Knights: Rudi Second
At 29, the keeper/batsman appears to be approaching the peak of his powers. He seldom disappoints with the gloves, even with the Knights’ varied attack.
It is with the bat, however, that he is making the most noise. Second enjoyed a tour of India with the SA A side, with crucial middle-order runs. Despite an embarrassment of keeper/batsman options in South African cricket, Second has put himself firmly in the conversation, alongside the likes of Quinton de Kock and Heinrich Klaasen. This season, expect the man known as Second to push to be first on the list when it comes to honours and, inevitably, South African colours. With Theunis de Bruyn and David Miller having moved on, Second will also assume greater responsibility around the dressingroom.
Dolphins: Senuran Muthusamy
The dogged left-hander has already become a pivotal axis in the Dolphins side. His game has developed rapidly in the past two seasons, culminating in him dominating the Dolphins’ end of season awards. A sound showing in India for the ‘A’ side was good for his CV, and now he will look to start dominating and scoring substantially in four-day cricket. He also has the ability to be the foundation around which others play shots in shorter formats. On paper, the Dolphins have a potent engine room for runs, but all the stroke-makers need his plain sailing at the other end. His spin bowling is underrated, and even under utilised, but it is a very handy feather in his cap. A terrific team man, who tends to shy away from the spotlight, Muthusamy is well on his way to becoming the Dolphins’ ace in the pocket.
Cape Cobras: Zubayr Hamza
After piling on the runs for a couple of seasons on the semi-pro circuit for Western Province, Hamza enjoyed a breakout year in franchise cricket last year. After only being drafted into the Cobras line-up due to bereavement in Aviwe Mgijima’s family, Hamza grabbed his opportunity with both hands to strike a sublime century against the Warriors. The elegant right-hander finished the season with 828 runs at 69.00, which earned him a trip to India with the South Africa
‘A’ side. Another solid first-class season for the Cobras this year and the Proteas may have a ready-made replacement for Hashim Amla. Warriors: Matthew Breetzke
The South African U-19 Cricketer of the Year has been on the radar for some time now, but big things are expected from the talented left-hander this season. Breetzke is held in particularly high esteem by the national convenor of selectors Linda Zondi, who added the youngster to the Proteas squads for the upcoming Zimbabwe limited-overs series. “Another part of our strategy going forward is to identify exciting, young talent such as Matthew Breetzke and assimilate them into the Protea culture at a young age. Our national captain, Faf du Plessis, will be personally taking Breetzke under his wing,” Zondi said recently.