Ken Borland

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.

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

Proteas captain Keshav Maharaj’s decision to bat first even though rain was forecast in the third and decisive ODI against England last weekend had its po-faced critics, but as he later explained it was done to ensure South Africa stuck to their strengths and their game-plan, which leans heavily on their spinners.

While the rain ultimately washed out the match and made the toss a moot point, when the T20 series gets underway on Wednesday night in Bristol, we can expect the Proteas to stick to roughly the same game-plan as they use in ODI cricket.

South Africa’s rise to fourth in the T20 rankings has been built around the strength of their attack, and Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi, number three in the world T20 rankings, have been key performers with their ability to both take wickets and stem the flow of runs. The game-plan has been the security blanket they cling to because it has carried them through some very tough times.

“We want to make sure we stick to our blueprint at all times and not go back into our slump,” Maharaj said.

“We really turned up to play in the last ODI, it could have been a spectacular end to the series, so it was frustrating to not get a result, but we can’t control the rain.

“The overhead conditions at Headingley told a different story, but the pitch was quite dry and we back our two spinners. We wanted to allow the wicket to deteriorate and use the spinners in the second innings,” Maharaj said.

Despite their awful collapse to 83 all out in the second ODI, the Proteas have built up some trust in their batting line-up. Aiden Markram (third) and Rassie van der Dussen (10^th) are both high in the T20 world rankings, while Quinton de Kock is 15^th and he showed in the final ODI that he still has that matchwinning x-factor.

“Obviously the batting collapse was not ideal and it was really disappointing after the spectacular batting in the first game,” Maharaj said. “The batting unit has generally been pretty good lately though.

“That first ODI was probably the most clinical we’ve been in the last 18 months and we want to replicate that in the T20s. Adapting to the pitch is the most crucial thing.

“It’s great to have Quinny back to his best too and his skill factor is one of the best in the world. He made it look much easier to bat than it was, and it’s always nice to see your senior players put their hands up,” Maharaj said.

David Miller is captain for the T20s and the series is likely to see the return of both Markram, who missed the India matches due to Covid, and Rilee Rossouw to the top-three of the Proteas batting line-up.

The clever seam bowling of Dwaine Pretorius and the guile of spinners Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi dominated England in the shortened second ODI at Old Trafford on Friday, the hosts being bowled out for 201 in the last of their 29 overs.

Heavy morning showers meant the start of the match was delayed from 1pm local time to 5.45pm, and South Africa won the toss and elected to bat first.

Openers Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow made a bright start in the first couple of overs, with Roy greeting fast bowler Anrich Nortje with a couple of boundaries when he pitched too short. But Nortje rebounded by making the first breakthrough, Roy (14 off 11) skewing a catch to a shortish, straightish midwicket.

And then Pretorius ripped through the top-order with three for 26 in five overs. The medium-pacer removed Phil Salt (17), brilliantly caught by David Miller, and Joe Root (1), who both targeted the leg-side to the inswinger but were deceived by the length and pace of the ball.

Pretorius then bowled a superb inducker to castle the dangerous Bairstow (28 off 27), and England were 62 for four in the nin^th over.

Maharaj (6-0-29-1) and Shamsi (6-0-39-2) then bowled superbly to further reduce England to 101 for six in the 18^th over. Shamsi’s set-up of captain Jos Buttler (19) was a beauty to behold as the left-arm wrist-spinner dismissed him for the second match in succession.

Sam Curran (35 off 18) ensured the momentum began to lean England’s way, however, attacking both spinners and hitting three brilliant straight sixes. That sparked Liam Livingstone, who delighted in the extra pace provided by Nortje to hit him for 6-6-6-4 in the 21^st over.

Nortje bounced back, however, with a clever slower-ball bouncer which Livingstone (38 off 26) flapped to a widish mid-on.

David Willey scored a useful 21 before Pretorius returned to have him caught at deep midwicket and finish with brilliant career-best figures of four for 36 in his six overs.

Lungi Ngidi was outstanding with his changes of pace and most unfortunate not to take any wickets.