PLAYERS TO LOOK OUT FOR: Rising Stars of the SA20

The Betway SA20 has proven to be the perfect platform to truly launch careers and there are plenty of youngsters hoping that they could make use of their opportunities in the country’s premier competition.

TRISTAN LUUS

A tearaway fast bowler is always thrilling to watch and up until recently, Tristan Luus was the quickest teenage pacer in the country.

Luus blew through batting line-ups at the 2024 Cubs Week with two five-wicket hauls and contributed some impactful runs as well at the backend of innings.

While Luus played for the SA Under-19 side on their tour of Bangladesh in 2023, he wasn’t originally part of the squad selected for the 2024 ICC U19 World Cup and only received a late call-up after Esosa Aihevba picked up an injury.

Luus brought the pace to complement Kwena Maphaka. He ended up taking seven wickets in five matches in the tournament at an average of 21.28 and an economy rate of 4.17.

He also contributed 64 runs with the bat at an average of 21.33 and a strike rate of 136.17.

Having been picked up by MI Cape Town as a Rookie, Luus will look to rush a few batters in the nets and force his way into their playing XI.

JORDAN HERMANN

A precocious talent from age group level, Jordan Hermann has made sure that people sit up to watch him bat.

He hit the ground running in domestic cricket when he arrived on the scene for the Titans.

He averaged 63.60 in his first season of First-Class cricket for them, before moving down to the Warriors with the prospect of playing all three formats.

Since making the move he has made 1 576 runs in 18 First-Class matches for the Warriors at an average of 50.83 with 10 fifties and three centuries.

This includes 507 runs in the current Four-Day series at an average of 50.70, making him the second leading run scorer in the competition.

He also made a rapid century for the CSA Invitational XI against the England Lions in their one-off unofficial four-day match in December 2024.

While his limited overs stats aren’t as impressive, Hermann has a highest List A score of 150 and has made two centuries in T20 cricket, which includes the 106 not out he made in the last edition of the SA20 for the Sunrisers Eastern Cape.

He will hope to increase his strike rate and put his name in lights as he pushes to finally receive a call-up to the Proteas setup.

BRYCE PARSONS

Unlike Hermann, the former SA U19 captain at the 2022 U19 World Cup didn’t get off to the best start in domestic cricket.

With only sporadic opportunities, it took Parsons a couple of seasons to find his feet.

However, since the 2022/23 season he has been putting in some special performances for the Dolphins.

From that point on he has averaged 53.93 with two fifties and three centuries in First-Class cricket and has taken 11 wickets with his left-arm orthodox spin.

Parsons was picked up as a Rookie by Durban’s Super Giants for the second season of the SA20 and while he didn’t get to play a match, he gained a lot of experience and had time to refine his game.

This was evident in the 2023/24 CSA T20 Challenge where he made 287 runs in nine innings at an average of 41 and a strike rate of 147.93.

Bringing an all-round option, Durban’s Super Giants might well look to give this exciting youngster a go in the upcoming season of the SA20.

JP KING

A standout batting allrounder in North-West at school level, King represented the SA Colts side in 2021 and then had a prolific Cubs Week in 2022 for the Western Legends.

He took his school form and shined for the North-West University First XI in the 2022 Varsity Cricket tournament.

King received his maiden call-up to the North West Dragons in March 2023 where he played for them in two First-Class matches, making 162 runs, including a high score of 92.

Robin Peterson was quick to recognise King’s potential and signed him up at the Warriors.

King has played various roles for the Warriors across two CSA T20 Challenge tournaments, starting off as a lower-order finisher before being shifted up the order.

He has scored 254 runs at an average of 25.40 and a strike rate of 135.10 in T20s and has also taken seven wickets with his right-arm off-spin at an economy rate of under eight.

The Wanderers should suit King's style of batting well if the Joburg Super Kings choose to deploy him.

KEAGAN LION-CACHET

Lion-Cachet might be a name not a lot of people are familiar with, but those who follow varsity cricket would be well acquainted with him.

Used mostly as a finisher, Lion-Cachet has often dug the Tuks First XI out of difficult situations and reversed the pressure back onto their opponents.

As with plenty of batters who are short in stature, Lion-Cachet is strong square of the wicket, both off the front and back foot.

He enjoys all kinds of sweep shots and putting bowlers under pressure.

Lion-Cachet also represented the South African team at the African Games in March 2024 in Ghana.

Lion-Cachet is yet to make his professional debut in a highly competitive environment in Gauteng, but having finished his studies in 2024, he is ready to take his game to the next level and the experience he will pick up at the Pretoria Capitals should do him the world of good.

KWENA MAPHAKA

Unlike some of the other names mentioned here, Maphaka needs no real introduction.

A schoolboy prodigy who first played in the 2022 U19 World Cup at the tender age of 15, Maphaka has been on the radar of many a cricket fanatic for a good few years now.

Maphaka was picked up as a Rookie for the Paarl Royals for the second season of the SA20, but he was unable to take any part as he was too busy wrecking batting line-ups at the 2024 U19 World Cup.

He took a record breaking 21 wickets at an astounding average of 9.71 and an economy rate of 3.81, which included three five-wicket hauls.

Since then, Maphaka played a couple of matches for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL, ended as the second leading wicket taker in the 2024/25 CSA T20 Challenge for the Lions, and made his Proteas debut across all three formats all before receiving his matric final results.

It has been a whirlwind time for 18-year-old Maphaka and there is a good chance that he will be a spearhead for the Paarl Royals in season three of the SA20.

Kwena Maphaka vs Babar Azam? It’s becoming a thing. 🔥#RoyalsFamily pic.twitter.com/4INbHtZxzh

— Paarl Royals (@paarlroyals) January 5, 2025