Photo Credit: SA20 League
Sunrisers Eastern Cape captain Aiden Markram will lead a youthful Proteas T20I Men’s team boasting four uncapped Betway SA20 starlets against arch-rivals Australia later this month.
There is certainly a strong Betway SA20 flavour in the 16-man squad for the three-match series with MI Cape Town’s Dewald Brevis, Joburg Super Kings duo Donovan Ferreira and Gerald Coetzee along with Durban’s Super Giants’ Matthew Breetzke all receiving their maiden T20I call-ups.
Brevis will forever be remembered for providing the Betway SA20 with the perfect lift-off as he struck a sublime undefeated 70 in the tournament’s historic opening game at Newlands.
Equally, Ferreira introduced himself to the Betway SA20 in style as he cracked 82 not out from just 40 balls at Kingsmead, while Coetzee, who has since earned Test and ODI caps, was the tournament’s third top wicket-taker with 17 scalps.
“Donovan Ferreira has been involved in a lot of league cricket. One of the areas in our batting that we really want to pay attention to is the finishing, and ability to clear the fence in a finishing role.
“Donovan has been identified as someone that can do that. He is also very versatile, he can bowl off-spin, keep wicket, and is a wonderful fielder. He provides a specific skill set that we’re looking to grow in our stocks,” Walter said.
“Matthew Breetzke provides top-order cover for us. He has been a wonderful performer domestically, performed well in the SA20, and as much as I’ve only seen a handful of knocks from him, all the coaches on my staff as well as Shukri (Conrad, Proteas Test coach) speaks very highly of him as a young batter in our system who can go on do to do great things internationally.
“We’ve seen Gerald do his thing in the Test and one-day cricket already, as well in the leagues, so a great opportunity to give him a run in the T20 space for his country, he’s earned it.”
But it is not only the young Betway SA stars that have been rewarded, but also seasoned stalwarts such as former Proteas T20I captain Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen that also earned recalls to the shortest format.
Bavuma has travelled a long road since initially being overlooked at the inaugural auction to later being called up by the Sunrisers Eastern Cape as a replacement player before going on to be part of a championship-winning team. He has since been re-signed for Betway SA20 Season 2.
Van der Dussen is also back in the national mix after spells with MI Cape Town and also time in the Pakistan Super League and Canada’s Global T20 League.
“When they were left out, it was a performance-based thing but I was also specific saying it’s our job to get them back in.” Walter said. “Rassie has been at the Global T20 in Canada and Temba was working hard here. It’s the perfect opportunity for them to show they are able to manoeuvre their games and grow their games.”
Newly-appointed Durban’s Super Giants captain Keshav Maharaj is also back in the frame again after recovering from his ruptured Achilles suffered back in March.
Proteas T20I squad against Australia
Aiden Markram (Sunrisers Eastern Cape, captain) Temba Bavuma (Sunrisers Eastern Cape), Matthew Breetzke (Durban’s Super Giants), Dewald Brevis (MI Cape Town), Gerald Coetzee (Joburg Super Kings), Donovan Ferreira (Joburg Super Kings), Bjorn Fortuin (Paarl Royals), Reeza Hendricks (Joburg Super Kings), Marco Jansen (Sunrisers Eastern Cape), Sisanda Magala (Sunrisers Eastern Cape), Keshav Maharaj (Durban’s Super Giants), Lungi Ngidi (Paarl Royals), Tabraiz Shamsi (Paarl Royals), Tristan Stubbs (Sunrisers Eastern Cape), Lizaad Williams (Joburg Super Kings), Rassie van der Dussen (MI Cape Town).
Proteas ODI squad against Australia
Temba Bavuma ( (Sunrisers Eastern Cape, captain), Dewald Brevis (MI Cape Town), Gerald Coetzee (Joburg Super Kings), Quinton de Kock (Durban’s Super Giants), Bjorn Fortuin (Paarl Royals), Reeza Hendricks (Joburg Super Kings), Marco Jansen (Sunrisers Eastern Cape), Heinrich Klaasen (Durban’s Super Giants), Sisanda Magala (Sunrisers Eastern Cape), Keshav Maharaj (Durban’s Super Giants), Aiden Markram (Sunrisers Eastern Cape), David Miller (Paarl Royals), Lungi Ngidi (Paarl Royals), Anrich Nortje (Pretoria Capitals), Tabraiz Shamsi (Paarl Royals), Wayne Parnell (Pretoria Capitals), Kagiso Rabada (MI Cape Town), Tristan Stubbs (Sunrisers Eastern Cape), Rassie van der Dussen (MI Cape Town).
Name of Author: SA20 League
SA20, officially known as the Betway SA20 for sponsorship reasons, is a Twenty20 franchise cricket tournament in South Africa organized by Cricket South Africa (CSA). First held in the 2023 season, the league features six city-based teams. Sunrisers Eastern Cape won the first two editions of the tournament.
