5 BREAKOUT BETWAY SA20 STARS FROM SEASON 3

Every season Betway SA20 exposes fresh talent to the grandest stage of South Africa’s premier T20 competition. 

The inaugural season saw Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s Ottneil Baartman and Pretoria Capitals’ Eathan Bosch enjoy breakout seasons. Both have since gone to be capped by the Proteas at international level.

Season 2 saw MI Cape Town’s Ryan Rickelton and Matthew Breetzke dominate with the bat which also led to international call-ups. 

The past season once again saw a new batch of highly promising players grab their opportunities. 

Dewald Brevis finally fulfilled all his potential with an amazing season for champions MI Cape Town, while Paarl Royals teenage opener Lhuan-dre Pretorius enjoyed the debut season of his dreams by finishing as the competition’s top run-scorer. 

But there were also a host of burgeoning talents just bubbling under that left an indelible mark on Season 3.

Rubin Hermann (Paarl Royals)

Runs: 333 | Strike rate: 128.0 | Average: 41.63 | High score: 81*

The southpaw has been watching his younger brother - Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s Jordan Hermann - from the sidelines the past two seasons but was now ready to shine. A late bloomer at 28 years old, Rubin showed that he had the maturity to occupy the crucial No 3 role at the Royals and made it his own after being drafted into the line-up against the Pretoria Capitals at Centurion after missing the first couple of matches. He was particularly strong through the leg-side, whipping away the fast bowlers off his pads and punishing anything remotely short. 

Lutho Sipamla (Joburg Super Kings)

Wickets: 12 | Economy: 8.27 | Average: 22.17 | Best bowling: 3/19

After being overlooked at the original draft, Sipamla made a major splash when he finally arrived at Betway SA20 after Joburg Super Kings suffered a spate of injuries to their first-choice fast bowlers. Relishing playing under the captaincy of Faf du Plessis, Sipamla grew in stature after each game. He overcame the adversity of no-balling at the start of one encounter at St George’s Park to redeem himself the next game by picking up the very same batter, England Test opener Zak Crawley. Sipamla bowled with good pace and accuracy both with the new ball in the Powerplay and at the death. He would have also learnt valuable lessons from his lack of execution in Qualifier 2.

Connor Esterhuizen (MI Cape Town)

Runs: 138 | Strike rate: 133.98 | Average: 34.50 | High score: 69

The Season 2 Rookie has certainly grown in stature over the past two seasons with coach Robin Peterson fully backing the 23-year-old. Peterson entrusted Esterhuizen behind the stumps in MI Cape Town’s first couple of matches while Ryan Rickelton recovered from his Proteas exertions. Peterson went one step further when he backed the youngster for the grand final at the Wanderers ahead of the experienced Colin Ingram and Afghanistan international Sediqullah Atal. Esterhuizen fully vindicated his selection by top-scoring with a crucial 39 at the Bullring. 

Keagan Lion-Cachet (Pretoria Capitals)

Runs: 86 | Strike rate: 132.30 | Average: 28.66 | High score: 34* 

Keagan Lion-Cachet’s rise has been nothing short of meteoric the past few years. From Tuks University’s 4th team to Betway SA20 Rookie is a phenomenal journey. His task was even tougher this season with Pretoria Capitals struggling to string any performances together. But this crisis opened the opportunity for the 22-year-old to slot into the Capitals middle-order as he showed that he had both the skill and composure to compete at this level.

“He played really well. I think a very talented young player, eager to learn,” said Capitals coach Jonathan Trott. “He showed out there what could be achieved with a bit of nous and a bit of a game plan.”

Bryce Parsons (Durban’s Super Giants)

Runs: 86 | Strike rate: 136.50 | Average: 28.66 | High score: 47

Virtually the identical numbers to Lion-Cachet but achieved in two matches less. To DSG coach Lance Klusener’s credit, he backed the Season 2 Rookie to shine from the outset by dropping Proteas superstar Quinton de Kock down the order. Parsons certainly didn’t disappoint by smashing 47 off just 28 balls (5x4, 2x6) in the opening match against Pretoria Capitals at Kingsmead. But it was after that when Klusener shifted Parsons down to No 3 before leaving the youngster out altogether when the pressure started building on the under-performing DSG unit. With a bit more backing like Pretorius and Esterhuizen received at Paarl Royals and MI Cape Town respectively, we may have seen a lot more of Parson’s potential.