SA20 player auction: Four things we learned and full squads

The first player auction for cricket’s latest T20 competition, the SA20, took place in Cape Town on Monday.

Six teams were involved, each needing to fill a squad with 17 players who’ll be in action in the competition in January next year. Over 300 players put their names in the hat, and when the dust had settled South African, and worldwide, cricket fans had a good idea of the wants and needs in T20 cricket.

Note, 22 players were pre-bought prior to the auction.

Here are four things we learned from the auction

Big-hitters are boss

They say it’s a game for the batsmen and so it proved yet again with rookie South African batters Tristan Stubbs (R9.2 million) and Donovan Ferreira (R5.5 million) being highly sought-after.

Neither has fully proved himself on the international stage, but they’re big-hitters with huge potential; game-changers and match-winners.

The same goes for the experienced Rilee Rossouw, who was bought for R6.9 million.

No place for sentiment

Temba Bavuma and Dean Elgar may be South Africa’s white ball and red ball captains respectively, but neither was considered good enough for the SA20 competition, both going unsold.

Also, Andile Phehlukwayo, not too long ago the Proteas’ first-choice all-rounder, also had to watch on as no-one showed interest in his talents.

New Zealand’s Ross Taylor, a proven match-winner over the years for the Black Caps but now past his best, was also overlooked.

Proven X-factor players

T20 is all about going big or going home and owners of franchises like players who’ve shown match-winning X-factor — players who might not always come good, but have the ability to win a game from nowhere.

Here we think of Wayne Parnell, who sold for R5.6 million, England’s veteran former captain Eoin Morgan (R2 million) who was snapped up by the Royals, and New Zealand’s Jimmy Neesham (R3.6 million) who has match-winning potential.

South Africa’s Marco Jansen (R6.1 million), a now established Test player, has proved himself with bat and ball and he too, will be part of the SA20.

T20 cricket loves spinners

It may be a game of big hitters, but spin bowling has become just as big a deal in the shortest format of the game.

We all know how effective Imran Tahir was for the Proteas, and on Monday all of South Africa’s leading slow bowlers found a home — Bjorn Fortuin (R1.5m), Tabraiz Shamsi (R4.3m), Keshav Maharaj (R2.5m), Simon Harmer (R200,000) and George Linde (R3.9m).

Little-known Afghanistan spinner Waqar Salamkheil and England’s Rashid Khan were also snapped up.

Squads

Durban Super Giants: Quinton de Kock, Prenelan Subrayen, Jason Holder, Kyle Mayers, Reece Topley, Dwaine Pretorius, Heinrich Klaasen, Keemo Paul, Keshav Maharaj, Kyle Abbott, Junior Dala, Dilshan Madushanka, Johnson Charles, Matthew Breetzke, Christiaan Jonker, Wiaan Mulder, Simon Harmer

Jo’burg Super Kings: Faf du Plessis, Gerald Coetzee, Maheesh Theekshana, Romario Shepherd, Harry Brook, Janneman Malan, Reeza Hendricks, Kyle Verreynne, George Garton, Alzarri Joseph, Leus du Plooy, Lewis Gregory, Lizaad Williams, Donavon Ferreira, Nandre Burger, Malusi Siboto, Caleb Seleka

MI Cape Town: Kagiso Rabada, Dewald Brevis, Rashid Khan, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Rassie van der Dussen, Ryan Rickelton, George Linde, Beuran Hendricks, Duan Jansen, Delano Potgieter, Grant Roelofsen, Wesley Marshall, Olly Stone, Waqar Salamkheil, Ziyaad Abharams, Odean Smith

Paarl Royals: David Miller, Corbin Bosch, Jos Buttler, Obed McCoy, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Jason Roy, Dane Vilas, Bjorn Fortuin, Wihan Lubbe, Ferisco Adams, Imraan Manack, Evan Jones, Ramon Simmonds, Mitchell van Buuren, Eoin Morgan, Codi Yusuf

Pretoria Capitals: Anrich Nortje, Migael Pretorius, Rilee Rossouw, Phil Salt, Wayne Parnell, Josh Little, Shaun von Berg, Adil Rashid, Cameron Delport, Will Jacks, Theunis de Bruyn, Marco Marais, Phil Salt, Kusal Mendis, Daryn Dupavillon, Jimmy Neesham, Eathan Bosch, Shane Dadswell

Sunrisers Eastern Cape: Aiden Markram, Ottniel Baartman, Marco Jansen, Tristan Stubbs, Sisanda Magala, Junaid Dawood, Mason Crane, JJ Smuts, Jordan Cox, Adam Rossington, Roelof van der Merwe, Marques Ackerman, James Fuller, Tom Abell, Aya Gqamane, Sarel Erwee, Brydon Carse