Ken Borland

The members of the Pride who put in an enormous amount of work to make the 2023/24 season such a success for the DP World Lions were rewarded at the glittering Lions Cricket Awards Dinner in Sandton on Saturday night, with Bjorn Fortuin emerging as the big winner.

The DP World Lions’ triumphant men’s T20 captain was named both the DP World Player of the Season and the McDonald’s Players’ Player of the Season.

The evergreen Kirstie Thomson won the DP World Player of the Season award for the DP World Lions women’s team, while highly-respected captain Kgomotso Rapoo was the McDonald’s Players’ Player of the Season. It was also a special evening for left-arm seamer Relebohile Mkhize, whose exciting talent was recognised with the McDonald’s Fans’ Player of the Season and BAS Newcomer of the Season crowns.

Exciting spinner Nqaba Peter also did the double of the McDonald’s Fans’ Player of the Season and BAS Newcomer of the Season awards for the DP World Lions men’s team.

Left-arm spinner Fortuin was in divine form throughout the season with the ball, taking 60 wickets across the three competitions. He was the leading wicket-taker in the CSA 4-Day Series, claiming 35 wickets at an average of 26.11 as he spearheaded the DP World Lions’ title-winning campaign. Fortuin also averaged 26 with the bat, including an unbeaten century against the Dolphins.

He bowled with exceptional control and guile in the white-ball competitions. Fortuin took 18 wickets (4^th best) and conceded just 5.85 runs-per-over (3^rd best) as the DP World Lions stormed to the T20 Challenge title, and he was also the team’s joint leading wicket-taker in the CSA 1-Day Cup, as well as being one of the most economical bowlers in the competition.

The 35-year-old Thomson put to bed any thoughts of impending retirement as she topped the DP World Lions’ batting averages in both the One-Day Cup and the T20 competition. She averaged 51.66 at a strike-rate of 90 in the 50-over tournament and 42.16 at a strike-rate of 117 in the T20s.

Mkhize was thrown into the deep end in her debut season and successfully crossed over from being a rookie to an integral part of the #PrideOfJozi. She was outstanding in the T20 Cup, taking eight wickets in eight matches, the most for the DP World Lions, and conceding just 3.93 runs-per-over. Mkhize also took seven wickets in four One-Day matches, with an economy rate of just 4.50.

There was a touch of the magical about Peter’s introduction to the DP World Lions family as well as he bowled himself into the Proteas team with a glorious T20 campaign. The 21-year-old leg-spinner claimed 20 wickets, the second-most in the competition, at an average of just 9.50 and he conceded only 5.84 runs-per-over.

Rapoo has successfully embedded herself as the undisputed leader of the Lions Ladies pride, having taken over the captaincy at the start of the season.

Her canny spin saw her take 13 One-Day Cup wickets, the top-five nationally, and she only conceded 3.72 runs-per-over. In the T20 competition, Rapoo took seven wickets and went for only 6.00 runs-per-over. The opposition could also never afford to underestimate her hard-hitting batting, as Rapoo averaged 25.25 in the 50-over competition.

Delano Potgieter entranced viewers of the CSA 4-Day Series final with his muscular batting that led the DP World Lions to a victory that defied belief, and he was named the Masana Most Improved Player of the Season for the men’s team.

Nonkululeko Thabethe won the equivalent Afripure Most Improved Player of the Season award for the women’s side for the very pleasing growth in her batting.

South African batting star Heinrich Klaasen hopes the impact sub rule used in the Indian Premier League never makes its way into international cricket, saying it negates the need for “smart batting”.

Klaasen steered the Proteas to victory in their opening T20 World Cup match in New York, a meagre target of 78 still requiring the batsmen to be at their sharpest on a treacherous pitch that saw the facilities at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium being criticised for producing a game that lacked entertainment value as the International Cricket Council seeks to reach new markets.

It was all a far cry from the recent IPL, in which strike-rates and totals reached all-time highs. Klaasen, the key finisher for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, had to play clever cricket against Sri Lanka on a pitch with inconsistent but often steep bounce, and plenty of seam movement, finishing with 19 not out off 22 balls.

It was the sort of match that would have been near-impossible in the IPL with the impact sub rule allowing teams to bolster their batting line-up while not weakening their bowling attack. Klaasen told SportsBoom that he would not like to see the international game adopt the gimmick.

“The impact sub rule allowed batsmen to play with much more freedom and the execution was at a different level on pitches that were good. In the IPL, you are measured by the number of sixes you hit and your strike-rate, that’s your bread-and-butter and no-one worries about your average,” Klaasen said.

“But I hope the impact sub does not come into international cricket. It frees up the batting side too much and you can have a batsman at number nine with it, so there’s no need for anyone to hang around.

“It takes away the creativity of batting, it takes away smart batting. Like when Jos Buttler scored a superb century off 60 balls for Rajasthan Royals against Kolkata Knight Riders to chase down 224, having scored just 25 off his first 18 deliveries. The impact sub will take away that sort of brilliance to sum up conditions and hang around a bit, against just bombing the ball over small boundaries.

“It will allow teams to not play the situation so well. We also don’t get a lot of difficult pitches in the IPL, which is why the way teams go extremely hard in the powerplay is the big trend, and then the middle-order adjusts depending on whether you’re in trouble or flying,” Klaasen said.

While South Africa started their T20 World Cup campaign in impressive fashion against Sri Lanka, Lady Luck has not always been on their side in ICC events and they are yet to win one of the main trophies. Klaasen says the number of players they have with experience in the high-pressure IPL arena has helped them perform better in recent World Cups.

“We’ve got off to a very good start which means we can relax a bit and just keep building on that confidence. We need to focus on what we do best and keep that intensity.

“But the Netherlands have beaten us twice and Bangladesh can beat any team on their day, so we need to play the big moments well in those games.

“We’ve matured and gelled nicely as a team and a lot of the guys have played in the IPL, where there is a lot of pressure and expectation. We have been playing good World Cup cricket lately. Of the last three World Cups, we’ve only had one bad one, the 2022 T20 in Australia when we didn’t play well.

“But in Abu Dhabi in the 2021 T20 we only lost one out of five matches but missed out on the semi-finals on nett run-rate, and last year in India in the ODI World Cup, we played some unbelievable cricket to reach the semi-finals,” Klaasen said.

THE CHAOS

It all worked out fine in the end, but for 15 crazy minutes before lunch as South Africa lost four wickets for three runs, it seemed like the Proteas were headed for one of their most infamous narrow defeats just when a place in the World Test Championship final was in their grasp.

Having seemingly been in control of the first Test against Pakistan for most of the previous three days, South Africa had a moderate target of 148 to win. They had crashed to 19 for three on the third evening, but a wonderful partnership between Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma in the first hour of Sunday’s play had them well on course for victory.

Even when Markram was dismissed by a shooter from Mohammad Abbas for a determined 37, captain Bavuma was in such control that the situation, with 86 runs to get, seemed fine.

Bavuma and David Bedingham (14) added another 34 for the fifth wicket and South Africa approached lunch on 96 for four. But then the skipper needed treatment on his troublesome elbow, the pain perhaps encouraging him to try finish off the match quickly.

He tried going down the pitch to the nagging seam bowling of the admirable Abbas a couple of times, and then on his third foray, he tried to hit the tireless paceman back over his head but seemingly inside-edged the ball to wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan.

Umpire Alex Wharf gave him out almost as briskly as Bavuma walked, but then the television replays, and specifically ultra-edge, showed that there was no bat involved, but in fact the ball had hit Bavuma’s back pocket. It’s the second time in Boxing Day Tests at SuperSport Park that Bavuma has walked when he should have reviewed, having missed out on a potential century against Sri Lanka at Centurion in 2020.

Bavuma’s 40 was a great knock though, however unfortunately it ended. Not only did he lead from the front in testing circumstances for his team, but he showed just how technically strong he is, and his judgement was superb. Abbas took six for 54 in 19.3 overs and inflicted as probing an examination of technique as one can find.

All hell broke loose after Bavuma’s dismissal.

Kyle Verreynne’s own technical frailties saw him chop on off Naseem Shah in the next over, and Abbas then had Bedingham and Corbin Bosch caught behind off successive deliveries in his next over, both batsmen out to mediocre strokes well outside the off-stump.

The situation had gone from Game On to Pakistan being rampant and strong favourites to win with the Proteas reeling on 99 for eight, still 49 runs away from victory.

THE HEROES

After stumps on the third day and before play started on the fourth morning, Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada had both spoken about how disciplined but positive batting would see South Africa home. They were both confident the Proteas would reach their target.

In the thrilling finale’, it was Rabada and Jansen who had to secure victory. They first of all steadied the ship, taking South Africa to 116 for eight at lunch. They then knocked off the remaining 32 runs required with an ease which made one wonder what all the fuss was about.

Rabada has always had some fine strokes in his arsenal, but normally doesn’t stick around long enough to have a massive influence on the game with the bat. But inspired by coach Shukri Conrad’s lunchtime chat about fully backing whatever decision they made in terms of how to play, Rabada played an innings that will be remembered for many, many years. The left-hander stroked 31 not out off just 26 balls, attacking as if the deteriorating pitch was a flat road, and collecting five fours.

In the penultimate over, he launched Aamer Jamal back over his head for four and then eased him through the covers with all the grace and skill of Brian Lara. That left four runs to win, and Jansen sliced Abbas away through backward point to seal the nailbiting victory.

Jansen finished on 16 not out, his calm, more measured approach dovetailing brilliantly with Rabada. It was also his highest score in his seven Test innings this year, but a return to batting form was always on the cards for an all-rounder whose mental strength is one of his greatest assets.

WHAT THEY SAID

Captain Temba Bavuma said he could not summon all the words to accurately describe his emotions. He was visibly emotional in the post-match interviews for television, and was still moved when he addressed the general media.

“It’s a bit surreal and I’m not sure I’m able to put all my emotions into words. You should see the changeroom now, with all the families in there, it shows why we do what we do. We do it for the coaches and our families.

“To see KG bat like that … he was probably not at his best with the ball, but he saw an opportunity to do something with the bat for the team. I just feel joy for him because we know his talent with the bat. You never know which KG is going to come out and bat: The more correct one or the one that batted today. But we give him freedom and I couldn’t care how he got the runs.

“I just heard now that I didn’t hit the ball I got out to. I was absorbed in the moment and thinking about the shot I played. But it’s not the first time so people shouldn’t be surprised. I’ve been battling with my elbow and maybe the painkillers wore off? But I won’t use that as an excuse.

“I was still in the toilet sulking when KG joined Marco and I only came out when there were 15 runs to get. KG sat next to me at the lunch break, but I didn’t know what to say to him. But the confidence and belief was there in the team. I then heard Kyle Verreynne’s positive shouting and decided to show my head … I was taken aback by the emotion I felt at the end.”

Coach Shukri Conrad said he was blown away by the character of his team.

“Myself, Marco and KG share a vice [smoking] and when we were in our little corner in the back during the lunch break, I just told them that whatever decision they take about how they are going to go about their business, if we get close then I don’t want them to start fiddling about. They must keep doing what they set out to do, go balls to the wall.

“There were so many emotions. When we arrived this morning I thought we needed a big partnership between our two senior batsmen [Markram & Bavuma]. At morning drinks I thought we were doing okay, but then Aiden got out and we lost all those wickets on 99.

“So I thought we were pretty much gone, but then Marco and KG were able to build a partnership. At lunch we needed 32 runs and I thought ‘okay, that’s just eight fours’. The mind plays all these tricks on you in those situations.

“But they showed unbelievable composure, Marco brought the intensity and KG gave us visions of Brian Charles [Lara]. You can’t script that finish. Today was massive because I want a side that does not know when they are beaten.

“The biggest thing is they are a unit, they play for each other and leave their egos at the door. They will try find a way whatever the obstacle, rather than delve too deep into what they did wrong. And there’s a little bit of luck involved too.”

Kagiso Rabada has always been a top-class striker of the ball, but he readily admitted this was his finest hour with the bat in Test cricket.

“It’s without a doubt my best Test innings and one I will remember for the rest of my life. It’s all just a blur. All I was looking at was how many runs were needed, who was bowling and what were they trying to do?

“I said to Marco that I was going to look to be positive and he just said ‘wicked’ straight away. He had his own game-plan, playing one ball at a time on its merits. I was bit more unorthodox. But I wanted to keep to my processes and stay positive. There are always two voices in your head, one saying you can’t do it and the other one overpowering that.

“What happened today is something we want to keep in our DNA, we scrapped our way through, we just found a way to win. A lot of times I feel, when looking at the Proteas’ history in these vital matches, that we have tried to be perfect. But you don’t have to be, it’s all about finding a way to win.”

Pakistan produced a perfect nine-over blitz with the new ball late on Saturday afternoon to bowl themselves back into the contest at the end of the third day of the first Test against South Africa at SuperSport Park in Centurion.

Having seemingly dominated the contest on the first two days, the Proteas dismissed Pakistan for 237 in their second innings, which with their 90-run first-innings lead meant they needed just 148 for victory and a guaranteed place in the World Test Championship final.

But in a torrid 50 minutes before bad light came to their rescue, South Africa crashed to 27 for three, Pakistan roaring back into the contest thanks to opening bowlers Mohammad Abbas and Khurram Shehzad.

Aiden Markram, so impressive in the first innings when he scored 89, is still there on 22 not out and looking good. His captain, Temba Bavuma, faced just one delivery before stumps. Their’s will be a vital partnership on the fourth morning.

Tony de Zorzi (2), Ryan Rickelton (0) and Tristan Stubbs (1) were all trapped lbw as the Proteas slumped to 19 for three. The modes of dismissal perfectly illustrated how well Abbas and Khurram bowled: they pitched the ball up and targeted the stumps, while showing their skills by getting considerable movement off the seam.

Left-handers De Zorzi and Rickelton were both targeted from around the wicket. De Zorzi tried desperately to get outside off-stump against Abbas, but the 34-year-old master manipulator of the ball jagged a delivery so far back into the batsman, and the delivery kept a touch low, that the opener was doomed.

Rickelton tried an open stance against Khurram’s mode of attack and, stepping into the ball, tried to punch it straight down the ground. But again the movement off the deck was so much as Khurram seamed the ball past his inside edge and struck him on the pads. Umpire Nitin Menon is not known for giving easy lbws, but this was so plumb it was surprising he turned down the appeal. The jubilant Pakistanis reviewed and were rewarded.

Then, just seven deliveries before play was stopped, Stubbs was trapped lbw by Abbas, who angled the ball into the right-hander and then straightened it past the outside edge and struck him on the back pad.

Marco Jansen had earlier shone with the ball as his six for 52 in 14 overs bowled Pakistan out in 59.4 overs. But he still cut a dissatisfied figure after the effort and he admitted that, despite his third five-wicket haul and his second in three Tests, it had been a struggle.

“I’ve struggled the whole game, to be honest. I haven’t been as consistent as I should have been in terms of line and length. But the wickets are what’s important at the end of the day. You just have to try stay in the battle, not give up and not have any negative body language.

“Not everything is going to click every day, and then it’s all about how you can influence the game positively for your team. It’s tricky when that happens because you train every day to hit that off-stump line, but it’s not about how you feel, it’s about how you impact the game positively. You have to find a way to perform.

“In the first hour today, the pitch felt a lot flatter and the ball didn’t move much. Now it nipped quite a bit when we were batting, plus one or two shot up or kept low. We bowled a touch too full or too short, but 148 really should not be too much on this pitch.”

Pakistan’s success late in the day showed up how poorly South Africa had bowled in extended patches earlier in the day, and especially with the new ball when Pakistan began their second innings after tea on the second day.

Resuming on 88 for three on Saturday morning, thanks to Jansen making two strikes in an excellent spell late on Friday, Pakistan cruised into the lead by lashing 64 runs in the first 14 overs of the third day, when play began at 1.40pm due to morning rain.

Babar Azam went to fifty for the first time in 20 innings dating back to December 2022, and with Saud Shakeel also looking set for a big innings, they had South Africa firmly on the back foot. But an ill-judged, loose cut shot by Babar (50), hitting a short and wide delivery from Jansen straight to deep point, was a vital moment in the Test.

It ended a 79-run partnership for the fourth wicket and shifted the momentum.

From 153 for three after the first hour of play, Pakistan had slumped to 212 for eight by the end of the first session.

That they made it to 237 and a lead that has at least kept them in the game, was thanks to Saud. Batting with excellent judgement, ensuring that his positive intent never strayed into the recklessness that typified the dismissals of Babar, Mohammad Rizwan (3), Salman Agha (1), Aamer Jamal (18) and Naseem Shah (0), the 29-year-old scored 84 off 113 balls.

With his two wickets, Kagiso Rabada joined Dale Steyn as the leading wicket-taker in Tests at SuperSport Park with 59 scalps each. Rabada has taken his in just nine Tests, at an average of 17.96. Steyn needed 10 Tests for his 59 victims, with an average of 17.94.

It is just one of numerous statistics that show that Rabada should be treated with as least as much reverence as Dale Steyn, even though he was not at his best in the second innings.

With 121 more runs needed and seven wickets in hand, the Proteas will be mindful of withstanding a huge effort with a still-new ball from Pakistan on the fourth morning. With a deep batting line-up – Corbin Bosch scored 81 not out from number nine in the first innings – they will still be favourites to win if Markram and Bavuma can bat through the first hour.