Durban Heat squad confirmed

THE Durban Heat brains trust has finalised its squad for the upcoming Mzansi Super League following the player draft in Kliptown last week.

The team for this year’s edition of the competition will see the Durban Heat carry a strong local flavour with eight of the 14 players selected hailing from KwaZulu-Natal, while Dane Vilas comes into the side having spent the past two seasons with the Hollywoodbets Dolphins.

Englishman Ravi Bopara returns to Durban once again following two stints with the Dolphins, firstly back in 2010 and then he represented the franchise again in the domestic T20 competition in 2013.

With a strong local connection coach Gary Kirsten, who has coached in T20 leagues around the world, is using this as an important cornerstone for the side.

“People say the key to success is to build a team culture, but in the T20 age you don’t have much time. I think you need to pick match winners, have a lot of fun, try and build some sort of identity to the region because the fans are so important and build some hype around your home ground,” Kirsten said.

The Heat hascovered all its bases with the squad it has selected with a wide variety in the bowling attack from the right-arm pace of Daryn Dupavillon, the left-arm pace of Marco Jansen, experienced seam in Kyle Abbott, Andile Phehlukwayo, Malusi Siboto and Ravi Bopara and a left-arm spinner in Keshav Maharaj, an off spinner in Prenalen Subrayen and a leg spinner in Shaun von Berg.

With that variation in the attack there should be cover for all conditions, especially at the coastal grounds where the scores might not be as high.

Dane Vilas captained the Jozi Stars to the title in the inaugural MSL last season and will be a crucial cog in the Durban Heat machine with his quick hands behind the stumps and clean striking.

International Marquee Player Alex Hales, Proteas star David Miller, Sarel Erwee, Khaya Zondo, Wihan Lubbe, Vilas, Bopara and Phehlukwayo will be the men entrusted with scoring the bulk of the runs for the Heat this term.

The Durban Heat will wait until the end of the upcoming 2019 Provincial T20 Knock-Out before they fill the 15 spot in their squad via a wild card that every franchise has been given.

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