Last Updated on 4 months by Charbel Coorey
6 Players to Watch Out For in the South Africa Domestic Season | 6 players who can have a big impact on the upcoming SA Domestic Season
With the 2020/21 Cricket South Africa 4-day season set to begin in early November 2020, I have selected one player from each franchise who I will be following very closely. This season promises to be a memorable one with a number of Proteas players likely to come out for their respective franchises in the absence of any international duties until until late November/early December where the Proteas have three ODI’s and three T20’s against the mighty English.
Titans: Aiden Markram
Aiden Markram burst onto the international scene a 22-year old with a mountain of expectations on his shoulders after having steered the South African U19 side to a World Cup victory in 2014. Markram made light work of his time with the Northerns and Titans sides and was soon pairing Dean Elgar at the top of the order in the longer format of the game.
His first four innings, albeit against ‘soft’ opposition, produced two centuries and a 97 in 2017 – a dream start to his career with an average of 95.
South Africa had lacked a solid opening pair since the retirement of Graeme Smith in 2014. The likes of Heino Kuhn, Stephen Cook and Stiaan van Zyl all made brief but underwhelming appearances. Had South Africa finally filled that void?
Powerful Indian and Australian squads toured South Africa the following year and the question on everyone’s minds was whether Markram had the ability to produce the goods against top opposition. He handled himself fairly well against an Indian attack consisting of Jaspit Bumrah and Ravishandran Aswhin, scoring an impressive 94 at his home ground in Pretoria in the second Test.
Markram had done enough to convince selectors that he was the guy to take on the Aussies in what would turn out to be one of the most exciting and highly controversial Test series in recent memory.
I admit that I didn’t think Markram would be able to take on the likes of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazelwood and Nathan Lyon. The Aussies are well known for playing a ‘hard’ brand of cricket, which, for a 23-year old, could easily become overwhelming.
I’m glad to admit that I was very wrong. Markram went on to score a couple of big hundreds, as well as a match-defining 84 in the sandpapergate Test match. He finished the series as the leading run scorer (480 at an average of 60) and was awarded man of the series in the process. We had found our opening batsman and a potential captain to take over from Faf du Plessis and South African cricket was well on its way to restore its former glory years.
However, since then, South Africa have been whitewashed by Sri Lanka, both home and away, whitewashed by India away, and convincingly beaten 1-3 by England in our own backyard. Markram’s form, along with the entire top order, has left a lot to be desired. Granted he has come across an injury or two along the way, but he has not quite developed into the player South Africa (almost unfairly) expected him to be at this point in his career.
Having said that, Markram still has a decade of Test cricket in him and I have no doubt in my mind that he is one of, if not the most talented batsman in South Africa. He has my full backing at the top of the order and I would go as far as to hand him the additional responsibility of captaincy when the Proteas take to the field in 2021. Some time with the Titans in the longer format (without the world watching him) will do wonders for him as a player.
He will likely partner Dean Elgar at the top of the order for the Tians, followed by Theunis de Bruyn and Heinrich Klaasen to form arguably the strongest top 4 in the competition.
Also read: Top 5 best South Africa Tests since 2000
Lions: Wiaan Mulder
When Jacques Kallis retired in 2013, he left a gaping hole in the South African side. His ability to operate as a 5th bowling option always allowed the selectors to play an extra batsman. Since then, South Africa have lacked a genuine batting all-rounder; someone who can bat in the top seven and contribute with the ball if needed.
South Africa have tried a number of combinations since his departure, each with mixed success. Without a genuine batting all rounder in the squad, the selectors are left with three options.
- Pick five specialist bowlers: This may have worked during the Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers days, but since their departure, only six batsmen would leave the South African line up very exposed.
- Pick a bowling all-rounder at seven: The likes of Ryan McLaren, Chris Morris, Dwaine Pretorius and Andile Phehluwayo come to mind. All very capable cricketers, but none of whom (in my opinion) have the ability to bat in the top seven in an international test side.
- Pick four bowlers and seven batmen: In the absence of a genuine batting all rounder, I find this to be an attractive option and the option the Proteas adopted quite effectively in the post-Kallis era. Having said that, four bowlers seemed an attractive option when Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander, Morne Morkel and Kagiso Rabada were fit and available. As it stands, Steyn, Philander and Morkel have all retired leaving Rabada as the spearhead of a very young and inexperienced looking attack. An attack that I’d be hesitant expose without a fifth bowling option.
Who could be that player?
As is stands, I believe that there is only one player who is capable of playing as a batting all-rounder in the Proteas Test side. There are a number of players who have the potential to do so down the line (perhaps an article for another time) but, as it stands, I believe the Wiaan Mulder is the way to go.
At only 22 years of age, Mulder has a fantastic long format record for the Johannesburg based Lions franchise. With a batting average of 45 and a bowling average of 21.83, he is my ‘player to watch’ for the defending champions who, on paper, look to be the most formidable side in the competition.
Mulder will likely bat at five or six for the franchise with Dominic Hendricks, Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen, Temba Bavuma and Nicky van den Bergh set to complete the batting arsenal.
Also read: 7 young South Africa cricketers to watch out for in the next decade
Cobras: Tony de Zorzi
This may seem like a controversial selection given the fact that Pieter Malan, Janneman Malan and Zubayr Hamza, Kyle Verreynne and George Linde have all earned a call up to the national side in recent times. However, the former SA U19 captain and left-handed strokemaker Tony de Zorzi remains one of the brightest prospects on the local scene.
His recent move from the Titans to the Cape Town based Cobras was one of the biggest ‘transfers’ of the season after a very successful 2019/20 campaign (400 runs at 50.00) but it was his 213* against the Cobras at Newlands that really caught me eye. For someone who is better known for his white ball cricket, it was an innings of great patience and maturity (especially for a 23-year old).
Although de Zorzi tends to bat at the top of the order in the 50 and 20 over formats, he will likely shift down the order to number four after the aforementioned Malan brothers and Zubayr Hamza. The recent Protea debutant and wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne, batting all-rounder Jason Smith, and spin bowling all-rounder George Linde will complete a very resilient looking top seven.
Dolphins: Marques Ackerman
The men from Natal had a fairly below par 2019/20 red ball season finishing second from the bottom after winning two of their eight games. Weather undoubtedly had a role to play but I still believe they underperformed relative to the talent they have on offer.
The two stand out men for the Dolphins were youngsters Grant Roelofsen and Marques Ackerman. Roelofsen is a top order wicketkeeper batsman who finished the Momentum One Day Cup season as the leading run scorer (588 at 65.33) and in the process earned himself the Dolphins player of the season award, the players player of the season award, the Momentum One Day Cup player of the season award as well as the Momentum One Day Cup players player of the season award.
Quite the resume for a 24-year-old and surely the logical choice for my ‘watchlist’? I would have agreed until a couple of days ago when the Dolphins named Marques Ackerman as their skipper for the 2020/21 4-day season.
The young stylish left hander was a rock in their middle order last season, scoring 660 runs in eight matches and went on to finish as the tournaments third highest run scorer, behind only Raynard van Tonder and Eddie Moore. As it stands, Marques Ackerman boasts a 4-day average of 48.17 and 11 scores of 50 or more in just 12 games, and is my player to watch out for.
The Dolphins will welcome the biggest signing of the season Keagan Petersen into their middle order after his surprise move from the Bloemfontein-based Knights. Petersen, who was recently called up to the Proteas Test squad for the series against England, will likely bat at three, with Ackerman and Zondo at four and five respectively.
Warriors: Eddie Moore
I believe that Eddie Moore is the most overlooked player in the South African domestic set up. The 27-year-old opening batsman has been playing first class cricket since 2012 and has accumulated 2924 runs for his franchise at an average of nearly 44.
As mentioned earlier, Moore finished the season as the second highest run scorer (705) at an average of 50.35 and was instrumental in the Warriors third place finish. He, along with veterans Rudi Second and Jon Jon Smuts, as well as the young keeper-batsman Sinethemba Qeshile, will likely contribute the bulk of the franchises run this upcoming season.
Looking at the current Proteas top order, Dean Elgar will be turning 34 in June next year and talks about his replacement will undoubtedly start to creep in. Eddie Moore, with his 15 half centuries and seven centuries, including a massive 228 last season is my pick to replace him. He will of course be in competition with a handful players such as, but not limited to the Cobras duo Pieter and Janneman Malan as well as Raynard van Tonder of the Knights.
Knights: Raynard van Tonder
I have always been a big fan of the Knights franchise. In terms of school, University and Club infrastructure, they shouldn’t quite be able to compete with the likes of a Titans, Cobras or Lions franchise, but remain competitive season after season.
The Bloemfontein-based franchise will be looking to improve on their fourth place finish in the 2019/20 competition and will be looking to their former SA U19 Captain and 22-year-old opening batsman, Raynard van Tonder.
The youngster amassed 843 runs in just eight matches at an average of 70.25 including five half centuries and two centuries (including a mammoth 204).
Although only 12 games into his franchise career, the former Grey College boy has raced to 1103 runs at an average of 55.15 making him one of the most prized scalps on the domestic scene. He, along with run machine Pite van Biljon, the young but highly promising Wandile Makwetu, and veteran Farhaan Behardien form a middle order that is more than capable of competing with the best in the business.
The 2020/21 local CSA 4-day season will be vital for a Proteas side that is lacking in confidence, performance and support. The prospect of current and future stars batting out amongst each other is all a cricket fan can ask for and I for one will be following each and every game very closely for any sign of progress amongst the best that South African cricket has to offer.
