Ken Borland

Many people regard Chris Gayle as the greatest T20 batsman ever and Brendon McCullum did so much to popularise the format with his record-breaking feats in the early days, and now Reeza Hendricks has joined that illustrious pair as the only batsmen to score four successive half-centuries in internationals between Test-playing nations.

McCullum did it first against the West Indies, Australia and India (two) in 2008/9, followed by Gayle, who passed fifty in four consecutive innings against New Zealand (twice), Australia and England in 2012.

Hendricks will have the chance to claim the record for himself when South Africa play Ireland in the second T20 in Bristol on Friday night, having added to his 57, 53 and 70 against England with a brisk 74 off 53 balls against Ireland in Bristol on Wednesday evening, earning himself another Man of the Match award.

“I wasn’t aware of the record, but those are big names to rub shoulders with, to be mentioned in the same group as them is really special,” Hendricks said after his innings, which set up a 21-run win.

“A lot of work has gone into the run. I’ve seen how T20 has evolved and it’s a mindset shift as well. That’s the way the coach wants us to play.

“Starting the tour well gave me confidence and you just take that forward with you. There’s no secret to how it happens, I just go about my business and try and follow my process.

“It’s the nature of the game, how it goes sometimes. I’ve got on a good run and momentum is on my side. Hopefully that can continue in the next game against Ireland,” Hendricks said.

Aiden Markram lashed 56 not out off 27 balls in partnership with Hendricks, bringing up three successive half-centuries for the second time in his career (he first did it against Pakistan in Gauteng last year), so he can also join Gayle and McCullum on Friday.

The other South Africans to have scored a hat-trick of T20 fifties are Quinton de Kock, in the West Indies last year, and Hashim Amla, against England (two) and Australia in 2016.

De Kock has, of course, scored many T20 runs for South Africa – his 1887 runs is second only to JP Duminy’s 1934. But he has made just 129 runs in his last 10 innings; he was run out for just seven on Wednesday night, the second time he has suffered that dismissal in recent times.

Just has Hendricks has hit a wave, so De Kock is in a trough and the in-form opener can sympathise.

“The game can quickly turn and then you’re in the dark side,” Hendricks said. “Unfortunately Quinny is on the other side of things, but he just needs one good innings and things will turn.

“We know what quality he has and it’s just a matter of time before it all clicks for him.”

With the rest of the South African batsmen making merry in the UK, Friday night in Bristol would be a good time for De Kock to break his run of low scores.

Reeza Hendricks has surely now sealed his World Cup spot as he and Aiden Markram banded together in a dominating century stand that allowed South Africa to score 211/5 in the first T20 against Ireland in Bristol, a score that was safe as houses with ace spinners Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi doing their usual hustle in the middle overs.

After the Proteas had elected to bat first and Quinton de Kock (7) ran himself out in the fourth over, Hendricks notched his fourth successive half-century, scoring a beautifully-paced 74 off 53 balls, scoring freely through the off-side in particular as he collected 10 fours and a six.

South Africa were 47/2 in the powerplay, but Hendricks and Markram then combined superbly for a stand of 112 off just 62 balls for the third wicket.

Markram was explosive, blasting a punishing 56 off just 27 deliveries, including five sixes, but he and Hendricks fell in successive deliveries to leg-spinner Gareth Delany in the 16^th over.

That left South Africa on 158/4 after 16 overs, but Tristan Stubbs showed he has the priceless finishing gift as he scored a spectacular 24 off just 11 balls, filled with remarkable strokes. Dwaine Pretorius also did his job with a dashing 21 not out off only seven deliveries, the Proteas scoring 53 runs in the last four overs.

Maharaj, deputising as captain because David Miller had a back spasm, and Shamsi were then the two best South African bowlers. Maharaj struck in the eighth and 10^th overs to take 2/29 in his four overs, while Shamsi was also excellent at the other end with 1/22 in his first three overs.

They reduced Ireland to 111/5 after 12 overs, but Lorcan Tucker won himself many fans as he did not sit back, lashing a destructive 78 off just 38 balls.

George Dockrell supported him brilliantly with a defiant 43 off 28 as Ireland regrouped to need 71 off the last six overs.

Shamsi had to stand up and bowl the 17^th over and he claimed the key wicket of Tucker, top-edging a sweep, and Dockrell fell to Pretorius next ball.

Lungi Ngidi bowled an effective array of slower balls at the death and conceded just 16 runs in his last two overs, while Pretorius went for just five off the 18^th over and Wayne Parnell six off the last, restricting Ireland to 190/9 and a 21-run victory.

There were many who believed Aiden Markram would be in charge of the Proteas by now, but even though the product of Cornwall Hill College in Centurion admitted on Tuesday that “I have not got it all worked out yet”, he is clearly becoming one of the key generals in the South African white-ball team.

That side will be in action again on Wednesday evening as they take on Ireland in the first of two T20 matches in Bristol. It will be interesting to see what XI the Proteas field because they have often experimented against the Irish in the past. Paceman Kagiso Rabada has been ruled out of both games with an ankle injury.

But they are fresh off a 2-1 series win over mighty England in which they fielded a few players who may have been thought of as fringe members of the squad that is being built for the T20 World Cup in October.

Markram, although he is their highest-ranked T20 batsman, was one of the ones to sit out, but it says something of his standing in the team that he was given a full explanation of the reasons why it was done. He returned for the deciding match against England and scored a brisk 51 not out off 36 balls as the Proteas batted their hosts out of the contest. Markram also fulfilled the vital sixth bowler role.

“Not playing in India was incredibly frustrating, but it’s one of those things even though it’s strange to get Covid these days,” Markram said.

“But here in England, the communication has been really good from the coach, the management team and captain David Miller. We were told where we stand, we understand where the selection is coming from and why they did it.

“These things happen when you’re building towards a World Cup, you have to give everyone a fair opportunity. Rassie van der Dussen and I understood why we were sitting out.

“The communication made it a lot easier. We’re on a journey to the World Cup so we understand why we try things and different options. If it doesn’t work, then rather get it wrong now than at the World Cup,” Markram said.

The 27-year-old has been one of the most dominant batsmen at SuperSport Park in Centurion, which is one of the smaller grounds in South Africa but still bigger than the ground in Bristol.

England had the Proteas in disarray in the first T20 in Bristol last week but, as they arrange their plans for the World Cup, being able to perform on smaller grounds is one of the things they need to sort out.

“We’re maybe a team that’s better on slower pitches and bigger fields, we’ve played some of our best cricket in tougher conditions,” Markram said.

“But we definitely want to get better at smaller venues where the margin for error is a lot smaller. We’re going to try and nail that because we want to keep growing as a team.”

*Play starts at 7.30pm

Proteas fans, your 2021/22 Men’s Player of the Year will be one of five cricketers – Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen or Quinton de Kock.

Cricket South Africa on Tuesday named the nominees for the CSA Awards, which will be a virtual ceremony taking place on August 14.

Performances from May 2021 to April 2022 were taken into account, which is from the tour of the West Indies to the end of the Test series against Bangladesh in April.

Who will be the favourite to claim the overall title will depend on your favourite format.

Rabada, Maharaj and Bavuma were outstanding in Tests, while Van der Dussen and De Kock shone in the white-ball formats.

Rabada took 30 wickets at an average of just 20 in the five Tests he played, while spinner Maharaj also took 30 wickets in the judging period, from eight Tests art an average of only 18.20. He also starred in ODIs with 18 wickets in 14 matches at an economy rate of just 4.61.

Bavuma scored 515 runs in seven Tests at an average of 46.81, while also averaging 38.70 in his 13 ODIs.

An extraordinary average of 73.11 in 14 ODIs for Van der Dussen saw him nominated, his 658 runs being scored at a strike-rate of 97, while he also averaged 39.10 at a strike-rate of 123 in T20s.

De Kock averaged 73 in the three Tests he played before his retirement from the longest format, and his chief successes came in ODIs – 523 runs in eight games at an average of 65.37 and a strike-rate of 108 – and T20s (524 runs in 14 innings at 43.66, SR 131).

Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, Keegan Petersen and Sarel Erwee are the new talents competing for the Proteas Newcomer of the Year award.

The Women’s Proteas team devoted themselves mostly to 50-over cricket last season due to the ODI World Cup, in which they reached the semi-finals.

Prolific run-scorer Laura Wolvaardt and star all-rounder Marizanne Kapp are probably the favourites for the overall SA Women’s Player of the Year award, with bowlers Shabnim Ismail and Ayabonga Khaka and all-rounder Sune Luus also nominated.

2021/22 CSA AWARDS NOMINEES

PROFESSIONAL AWARDS – DOMESTIC

CSA UMPIRES’ UMPIRE OF THE YEAR

Lubabalo Gcuma

Allahudien Paleker

Stephen Harris

CSA UMPIRE OF THE YEAR

Allahudien Paleker

Lubabalo Gcuma

Stephen Harris 

Arno Jacobs

DOMESTIC NEWCOMER OF THE SEASON

Kyle Simmonds (WP)

Tristan Stubbs (EP Warriors)

Mitchell van Buuren (CGL)

Daniel Smith (WP)

DIVISION 1 COACH OF THE SEASON

Wandile Gwavu (CGL)

Mandla Mashimbyi (Titans)

Salieg Nackerdien (WP)

DIVISION 2 COACH OF THE SEASON

Mark Charlton (Northern Cape)

Garry Hampson (SWD)

Michael Smith (KZN Inland)

T20 KNOCK OUT COMPETITION PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT

Migael Pretorius (FS Knights)

Ottneil Baartman (KZN Dolphins)

Herschell America (SWD)

Rilee Rossouw (FS Knights)

Daryn Dupavillon (KZN Dolphins))

DIVISION 1 T20 CHALLENGE PLAYER OF THE SEASON

Pieter Malan (Boland Rocks)

Tabraiz Shamsi (Titans)

Tristan Stubbs (EP Warriors)

Ziyaad Abrahams (Boland Rocks)

Shaun von Berg (Boland Rocks)

DIVISION 1 4-DAY DOMESTIC SERIES PLAYER OF THE SEASON

Pieter Malan (Boland Rocks)

Ryan Rickelton (CGL)

Simon Harmer (Titans)

David Bedingham (WP)

Kyle Simmonds (WP)

DIVISION 2 4-DAY DOMESTIC SERIES PLAYER OF THE SEASON

Thomas Kaber (Border)

Michael Erlank (KZN Inland)

Tshepang Dithole (KZN Inland)

Evan Jones (Northern Cape)

Sean Whitehead (SWD)

DIVISION 1 ONE-DAY CUP PLAYER OF THE SEASON

Heinrich Klaasen (Titans)

Sisanda Magala (CGL)

Wihaan Lubbe (EP Warriors)

Sibonelo Makhanya (Titans)

Stiaan van Zyl (Boland Rocks)

DIVISION 2 ONE-DAY CUP PLAYER OF THE SEASON

Benjamin van Niekerk (Mpumalanga)

Keith Dudgeon (KZN Inland)

Michael Erlank (KZN Inland)

Ludwig Kaestner (Limpopo)

Beyers Swanepoel (Northern Cape)

PROFESSIONAL AWARDS – INTERNATIONAL

MOMENTUM WOMEN’S T20 INTERNATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Laura Wolvaardt

Lizelle Lee

Ayabonga Khaka

Marizanne Kapp

MOMENTUM WOMEN’S ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Laura Wolvaardt

Shabnim Ismail

Ayabonga Khaka

Marizanne Kapp

Sune Luus

SA WOMEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Laura Wolvaardt

Shabnim Ismail

Ayabonga Khaka

Marizanne Kapp

Sune Luus

THE BEST DELIVERY FUELLED BY KFC

Ismail to Matthews

Klaas to Beamount

Ismail to Martin

Klaas to Brunt

Harmer to Shanto

Olivier to Latham

Rabada to Blundell

Maharaj to Mitchell

INTERNATIONAL MEN’S NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

Kyle Verreynne

Marco Jansen

Keegan Petersen

Sarel Erwee

T20 INTERNATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Quinton de Kock

Aiden Markram

Tabraiz Shamsi

Anrich Nortje

Kagiso Rabada

ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Janneman Malan

Rassie van der Dussen

Quinton de Kock

Tabraiz Shamsi

Keshav Maharaj

TEST PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Dean Elgar

Temba Bavuma

Keshav Maharaj

Kagiso Rabada

Marco Jansen

Keegan Petersen

SA MEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Kagiso Rabada

Keshav Maharaj

Temba Bavuma

Rassie van der Dussen

Quinton de Kock