Johannesburg [South Africa], August 15 (ANI): South Africa’s emerging Under-23 players will take centre stage at the Season 4 SA20 Player Auction, scheduled to be held in Johannesburg on September 9, according to an SA20 release.
For the first time, each of the six franchises will be required to select a minimum of two Under-23 players in their 19-player squads, a new player regulation in place of the Rookie Draft selections from the previous two auctions.
The regulation was introduced to give the selected players continuity within their squads, with their contract terms in line with all other auction signings and at a market value determined at the auction.
Under-23 players entering the auction will be looking to follow in the footsteps of Season 3 Rising Star Dewald Brevis and former rising stars like Marco Jansen, Tristan Stubbs, and Lhuan-dre Pretorius, who have all seized their moment by making a significant impact on the League.
Brevis was one of the standout performers in SA20 Season 3, where he played a leading role in MI Cape Town annexing their first championship title. The 22-year-old has since transferred this form to the international arena, highlighted by his record-breaking 125 not out off just 56 balls in the 2nd T20I against Australia in Darwin.
Jansen was the Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s first purchase back at the inaugural auction for USD 347K – the second highest SA20 price ever – back in 2022.
Since those early days, the versatile allrounder has soared to become the highest all-time wicket-taker in the League, accumulating 47 wickets at an impressive average of 19.38.
Stubbs, another notable success story, was also integral to the Sunrisers’ achievements. Acquired for a record-breaking USD 523K, Stubbs has justified this investment by amassing 723 runs at an average of 32.86 with a strike rate of 140.11.
He also showed off his versatility by taking on the wicket-keeping responsibilities for the past two seasons and has also since graduated to being an integral part of the Proteas’ teams across all three formats.
Meanwhile, Pretorius, who entered the League as a raw talent, burst onto the scene in Season 3 with a stellar performance that saw him soar to the top of the run-scoring charts, amassing 397 runs at an average of 33.08 and a strike rate of 166.81.
The 19-year-old’s aggressive style revealed a maturity beyond his years, as he hit 16 sixes and 47 boundaries in just 12 matches, leading to his award as Batter of the Season and his swift promotion to the Proteas setup.
Brevis will headline the list of Under-23 players entering the auction alongside fellow Proteas Kwena Maphaka and Andile Simelane.
Maphaka has showcased his development during the Australian T20I series when he became the youngest bowler from a Full Member country to take a four-wicket haul in the first T20I against Australia in Darwin.
The 19-year-old has tasted SA20 action before with the Paarl Royals and will be eager to continue this journey.
Simelane has been part of the Sunrisers Eastern Cape squad for the past two seasons and will be at the top of the list when the all-rounders go under the hammer.
Heading into the fourth season, the next wave of young talent is now poised to shine in South Africa’s premier T20 competition. (ANI)
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