BETWAY SA20 RISING STARS DOMINATE PROTEAS SQUAD FOR NEW ZEALAND

Betway SA20 continues to enhance its status as South African cricket’s talent nursery after the Proteas T20I squad was announced to tour New Zealand next month.

With the Proteas T20 World Cup stars being rested for the series Down Under, coach Shukri Conrad and national convenor of selectors Patrick Moroney have locked into a group of talented youngsters that have all shown immense promise in Betway SA20.

Season 4 Rising Star Jordan Hermann has been rewarded for his efforts in helping the Sunrisers Eastern Cape to a third championship title last month with a maiden call-up to the Proteas T20I squad. The talented left-hander, who struck 273 runs at an average of 34.13, joins his Paarl Royals brother Rubin.

Jordan is among five new uncapped faces in the 15-player squad along with Connor Esterhuizen (Pretoria Capitals), Dian Forrester (Joburg Super Kings), Eathan Bosch (Durban’s Super Giants), and teenager Nqobani Mokoena (Paarl Royals).

Forrester enjoyed a breakout maiden Betway SA20 season for JSK with the youngster smashing 175 runs with a top score of 80 not out at a strike-rate of 165.09.

He was not called on to bowl by the Super Kings, although that is a facet of the allrounder’s game that Conrad is keen to develop.

“I think he's done particularly well. He's been part of our high-performance programme,” Conrad said.

“And then obviously during SA20, he's done particularly well. We're always wanting to increase our depth within the all-rounder pool.

“A nice tall left-hander. He hasn't done much bowling in the SA20, but definitely something that we're looking to build upon. But really thrilled for Dian. I think he's done particularly well and deserves his call-up.”

ALSO READ

Rising Star Jordan Hermann fulfilling promise

Who made the Season 4 Team of the Tournament?

Mokoena, meanwhile, has enjoyed a meteoric rise from the SA U19 ranks. The 19-year-old burst on to the scene for the Royals in Season 4, claiming 13 wickets at an average of 23.69, finishing as the fifth on the bowling charts.

“Nqobani showed during SA20 that he is an exciting young quick with the ability to make an impact and this series will give him the perfect opportunity to expose him to the international setup,” Conrad said.

Betway SA20’s all-time leading wicket-taker Ottneil Baartman also returns to the Proteas squad after missing the T20 World Cup, while Durban’s Super Giants duo Gerald Coetzee and Tony de Zorzi are also back after recovering from their respective injuries.

Pretoria Capitals skipper Keshav Maharaj will take over the captaincy in the absence of Aiden Markram.

Proteas Men’s T20I Squad against New Zealand

Keshav Maharaj (captain, Pretoria Capitals), Ottneil Baartman (Paarl Royals), Eathan Bosch (Durban’s Super Giants), Gerald Coetzee (Durban’s Super Giants), Tony de Zorzi (Durban’s Super Giants), Connor Esterhuizen (Pretoria Capitals), Dian Forrester (Joburg Super Kings), Jordan Hermann (Sunrisers Eastern Cape), Rubin Hermann (Paarl Royals), George Linde (MI Cape Town), Nqobani Mokoena (Paarl Royals), Andile Simelane (Durban’s Super Giants), Lutho Sipamla (Sunrisers Eastern Cape), Prenelan Subrayen (Joburg Super Kings), and Jason Smith (MI Cape Town).