The third Betway SA20 player auction is taking centre stage in Cape Town right now, as the six franchise teams finalise squads ahead of the anticipated Season 3 starting on 9 January 2025.
Proteas batter Reeza Hendricks has lit up the first half of the player auction as he fetched the highest bid of R4.3million in Cape Town.
Hendricks, the current back-to-back CSA T20 Player of the Year, was released from the Joburg Super Kings at the end of Season 2. The Super Kings had purchased the stylish right-hander for R4.5 in the inaugural auction two years ago.
Hendricks’ recent good form for the Proteas, having scored two successive T20I half-centuries against Ireland last week in Abu Dhabi, would certainly have influenced proceedings.
MI Cape Town faced stiff competition from Pretoria Capitals as the bidding war intensified between the southern and northern teams.
Capitals, however, went over the remaining auction purse when the bidding reached R4.2 million allowing MI Cape Town to win the race to sign Hendricks. The 33-year-old will join his Lions teammates Ryan Rickleton and Rassie van der Dussen at MI Cape Town.
MI Cape Town were in a competitive mood at the Season 3 auction as they immediately purchased former Proteas batter Colin Ingram. The 38-year-old left-hander was part of the Pretoria Capitals squad the past two seasons.
The Capitals were still seeking a top-order batter to bolster their squad and came out on top in another bidding war with the Joburg Super Kings to secure left-hander Marques Ackerman for R800 000.
SUNRISERS PURSUE FAST BOWLERS
Back-to-back champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape were quiet in the two opening two sets at the Season 3 auction, but sprang into life once the fast bowlers went under the hammer.
English seamer Richard Gleeson,who played for Durban’s Super Giants last season, was purchased for R2.3 million, while young Okuhle Cele was picked up for R175 000.
The Joburg Super Kings, meanwhile, bolstered their allrounder department by securing the services of Evan Jones and Wihan Lubbe for R175 000 apiece. The duo were both previously at Paarl Royals, but were released by the Boland Park team at the end of last season.
Finally, MI Cape Town would have pleased the Newlands faithful by bringing home local offspinner Dane Piedt for R175 000.
The eXXpress Set flew by with Joburg Super Kings picking up New Zealand fast bowler Doug Bracewell for R175 000.
Western Province left-arm spinner Kyle Simmonds has moved across from JSK to the Pretoria Capitals for R175 000.
Durban's Super Giants may have pulled a rabbit out of the hat with the purchase of the West Indies fast bowling sensation for just R425 000.
Scroll down for all the purchases.
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SA U19 TALENTS PICKED UP IN BETWAY SA20 ROOKIE DRAFT
The second Rookie Draft of the Betway SA20 took place on Tuesday in Cape Town.
MI Cape Town had the first pick in the draft and wasted no time in selecting former SA U19 fast bowler Tristan Luus.
The 19-year-old was one of the standout players in the SA U19 side at the ICC U19 World Cup earlier this year, sharing the new ball with Paarl Royals starlet Kwena Maphaka.
The Pretoria Capitals were next up and went for SA Universities wicketkeeper Keagan Lion-Cachet.
The Paarl Royals also tapped into the successful SA U19 squad’s talent by signing up the impressive batter Dewan Marais. The teenager has already featured for Easterns in the Cricket SA Division 2 competition this year.
Warriors allrounder JP King has also secured a deal with Joburg Super Kings, while CJ King has been signed up by the Durban’s Super Giants.
Last but certainly not least, the Sunrisers Eastern Cape have roped in Western Province youngster Daniel Smith as a possible back-up wicketkeeper to Tristan Stubbs.
The #BetwaySA20 sides take their pick of the talented rookies 👇
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) October 1, 2024
📺 Stream #BetwaySA20 on DStv: https://t.co/rM90YyQxaw pic.twitter.com/cZynTH0Guq
TEAM PURCHASES ON TUESDAY:
PAARL ROYALS: Rubin Hermann (R175 000), Dewan Marais (Rookie)
PRETORIA CAPITALS: Marques Ackerman (R800 000), Evin Lewis (R1.5 Million), Kyle Simmonds (R175 000), Keagan Lion-Cachet (Rookie)
JOBURG SUPER KINGS: Wihan Lubbe (R175 000), Evan Jones (R175 000), Doug Bracewell (R175 000), JP King (Rookie)
MI CAPE TOWN: Reeza Hendricks (R4.3 Million), Colin Ingram (R175 000), Dane Piedt (R175 000), Tristan Luus (Rookie)
SUNRISERS EASTERN CAPE: Okuhle Cele (R175 000), Richard Gleeson (R2.3 Million), Daniel Smith (Rookie)
DURBAN SUPER GIANTS: Shamar Joseph (R425 000), CJ KING (Rookie)
After another successful #BetwaySA20 auction, this is what the all the squads look like 👇🏏
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) October 1, 2024
Sunrisers Eastern Cape 👇🟠 pic.twitter.com/hOJdjeSLPm