All you need to know about SA’s T20 squads, prospects

Cricket season is upon us once more with the home groups kicking off their campaigns on Friday with the Division II T20 competitors.

First Division motion begins on October 17 in Potchefstroom, the place their T20 event is being held.

We run the rule over all of the squads and their prospects for the approaching season, which is a crucial one as a result of on the finish of it, there can be promotion/relegation primarily based on the mixed performances in all codecs over the past two seasons, the underside staff being changed by the highest facet in Division II.

Current staff factors standings – Northerns Titans 35; Central Gauteng Lions 23; Boland Rocks 19; Eastern Province Warriors 14; Western Province 14; KZN Dolphins 10; North-West Dragons 10; Free State Knights 4.

SQUADS

Northerns Titans: Lizaad Williams, Theunis de Bruyn, Okuhle Cele, Dayyaan Galiem, Junior Dala, Neil Brand, Sibonelo Makhanya, Corbin Bosch, Aaron Phangiso, Aya Gqamane, Jiveshan Pillay, Simon Harmer, Heinrich Klaasen, Dewald Brevis, Donovan Ferreira, Musawenkosi Twala.

National contracts – Quinton de Kock, Dean Elgar, Lungi Ngidi, Aiden Markram, Tabraiz Shamsi.

Outlook – While their batting success, within the absence of their internationals, can be targeted on the likes of Theunis de Bruyn and Neil Brand, they do bat deep.

Sibonelo Makhanya had a breakthrough season final 12 months and Dayyaan Galiem, Aya Gqamane, Corbin Bosch and Simon Harmer are all bowling all-rounders.

The bowling assault can be potent with Lizaad Williams, Junior Dala, Bosch and Harmer. In white-ball cricket, Dewald Brevis and Donovan Ferreira are two of probably the most thrilling younger gamers within the pipeline.

Central Gauteng Lions: Bjorn Fortuin, Wiaan Mulder, Lutho Sipamla, Jonty Rapulana, Ryan Rickelton, Josh Richards, Dominic Hendricks, Sisanda Magala, Malusi Siboto, Codi Yusuf, Mitchell van Buuren, Levert Manje, Duanne Olivier, Evan Jones, Cameron Delport, Tladi Bokako.

National contracts – Temba Bavuma, Reeza Hendricks, Kagiso Rabada, Rassie van der Dussen.

Outlook – The old tried and tested Lions outfit, one of many dominant forces lately, has been bolstered by the arrival of Evan Jones from Northern Cape, who wields the bat in white-ball cricket like Thor wields his hammer.

The batting holds a lot promise with three of the brightest younger skills in Ryan Rickelton, Josh Richards and Mitchell van Buuren, whereas their tempo assault can actually damage the opposition.

Perhaps the one weak point is the dearth of a confirmed red-ball spinner, however at dwelling on the Wanderers that shouldn’t matter a lot.

Boland Rocks: Pieter Malan, Isma-eel Gafieldien, Ferisco Adams, Christiaan Jonker, Siyabonga Mahima, Ruan Terblanche, Imraan Manack, Shaun von Berg, Clyde Fortuin, Achille Cloete, Hardus Viljoen, Michael Copeland, Stiaan van Zyl, Khwezi Gumede, Bamanye Xenxe, Hlomla Hanabe, Farhaan Behardien.

National contract – Janneman Malan.

Outlook – The power of the Boland staff will as soon as once more be in white-ball cricket, by which they defend the T20 Challenge title. The energy of Janneman Malan and the consistency of Pieter Malan, and the expertise of Stiaan van Zyl and Christiaan Jonker, has now been boosted by the arrival of veteran finisher Farhaan Behardien.

Hardus Viljoen is the tempo spearhead of an assault that’s sturdy within the spin division and has the abilities of Ferisco Adams.

Eastern Province Warriors: Matthew Breetzke, Wihan Lubbe, Sinethemba Qeshile, Glenton Stuurman, Marco Jansen, Mthiwekhaya Nabe, Lesiba Ngoepe, Rudi Second, Akhona Mnyaka, Diego Rosier, Jordan Hermann, Tsepo Ndwandwa, Tristan Stubbs, Beyers Swanepoel, Ziyaad Abrahams, Kgaudise Molefe.

National contract – Anrich Nortje.

Outlook – The checklist of thrilling younger batsmen within the EP staff is lengthy and has been added to by the arrival of Jordan Hermann, who scored a century and three fifties in his first six innings for Northerns final season.

Tristan Stubbs and Lesiba Ngoepe will spearhead their limited-overs efforts. The bowling assault is keen and ready too, and the Warriors completed as runners-up within the four-day competitors. Their title aspirations will even depend upon how usually they’ve Jansen and Stubbs accessible.

Western Province: Kyle Verreynne, George Linde, Tony de Zorzi, Nandre Burger, Jonathan Bird, Mohamed Vallie, Kyle Simmonds, Wayne Parnell, Beuran Hendricks, Daniel Smith, Dane Paterson, Ethan Cunningham, Eddie Moore, Aviwe  Mgijima, Tshepo Moreki, Mihlali Mpongwana.

Outlook – There are some thrilling younger batsmen down at Newlands, however Western Province would love a bit extra expertise in a batting line-up that may rely closely on Kyle Verreynne, Tony de Zorzi and Eddie Moore.

Their bowling assault has depth and efficiency although, with two high quality spinners in George Linde and Kyle Simmonds, and three wonderful left-arm pacemen in Wayne Parnell, Beuran Hendricks and Nandre Burger.

KZN Dolphins: Ottniel Baartman, Daryn Dupavillon, Marques Ackerman, Eathan Bosch, Ruan de Swardt, Sarel Erwee, Lifa Ntanzi, Jon-Jon Smuts, Thando Ntini, Bryce Parsons, Grant Roelofsen, Jason Smith, Khaya Zondo, Tshepang Dithole, Prenelan Subrayen, Andile Simelane.

National contracts – Andile Phehlukwayo, David Miller, Keshav Maharaj, Keegan Petersen.

Outlook – The KZN Dolphins will certainly be extra aggressive this season given the all-round power of their staff.

The likes of Sarel Erwee, Grant Roelofsen, Marques Ackerman and Khaya Zondo present a high quality high 4, new acquisition Jon-Jon Smuts, Ruan de Swardt, Bryce Parsons and Jason Smith are all-rounders, there are 4 potent pacemen in Ottniel Baartman, Daryn Dupavillion, Eathan Bosch and Thando Ntini, and a top-notch spinner in Prenelan Subrayen.

Given how little Test cricket the Proteas can be taking part in, Keegan Petersen will most likely be a batting kingpin for them as effectively.

North-West Dragons: Delano Potgieter, Nicky van den Bergh, Lesego Senokwane, Senuran Muthusamy, Tumelo Tlokwe, Eldred Hawken, Wesley Marshall, Lwandiswa Zuma, Shaylen Pillay, Kerwin Mungroo, Renaldo Meyer, Khanya Cotani, Caleb Seleka, Duan Jansen, Grant Mokoena, Heino Kuhn.

National contract – Dwaine Pretorius.

Outlook – With all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius unlikely to be accessible a lot, North-West need to get the perfect out of batsmen like Heino Kuhn, Wesley Marshall and Grant Mokoena, as a result of Nicky van den Bergh and Senuran Muthusamy had to reasonably carry them final season within the batting division.

They will need all their meagre assets to fireplace on all cylinders to keep away from relegation on the finish of the season.

Also learn: Domestic cricket to blame for poor Proteas batting

Free State Knights: Mbulelo Budaza, Gerald Coetzee, Patrick Kruger, Jacques Snyman, Migael Pretorius, Pite van Biljon, Raynard van Tonder, Alfred Mothoa, Nealan van Heerden, Patrick Botha, Aubrey Swanepoel, Isaac Dikgale, Nhlakanipho Mpungose, Jason Raubenheimer, Gihahn Cloete, Matthew Kleinveldt.

Outlook – Pite van Biljon can at all times be relied on for runs and there’s expertise aplenty in Coetzee and Pretorius, whereas Budaza and Mothoa are bowling workhorses.

But a questionable batting line-up wants Raynard van Tonder to return to his prolific greatest. The Knights are preventing for his or her survival within the high division.

Also learn: Proteas gamers set to boost 4-Day Domestic Series finale