FOR THE RECORD: SEASON 2 HIGHEST WICKET-TAKERS

The oft-quoted cricket cliche of 'batters win matches, bowlers win titles' was no more accurately portrayed than by the fact that finalists Sunrisers Eastern Cape and Durban's Super Giants dominated the top 10 wicket-takers list for Betway SA20 Season 2.

All told the two teams contributed seven of the top 10, with champions Sunrisers claiming the top three positions.

Here, for the record, are top 10 wicket takers:

1. MARCO JANSEN (SUNRISERS EASTERN CAPE)

Wickets: 20 | Best bowling: 5-30 vs Durban's Super Giants (The Final) | Average: 14.3 | Economy rate: 7.66 | 4W: 1 | 5W: 1

For most of the season, it was Marco Jansen's opening partner Daniel Worrall and death overs-specialist Ottniel Baartman who were getting the plaudits for Sunrisers Eastern Cape.

However, 'Long Man' silently went about his work adding to the pressure which his pace bowling mates reaped the benefit of. Jansen's bowling rewards came, initially, when he took 4-16 in Qualifier 1 to seal Sunrisers' place in the Final. Then, in the showpiece at Newlands itself, he put paid to any title hopes DSG had by claiming 5-30 to end another victorious campaign as the League's top wicket taker, with 20.

2. OTTNIEL BAARTMAN (SUNRISERS EASTERN CAPE)

Wickets: 18 | Best bowling: 4-10 vs Durban's Super Giants (Qualifier 1) | Average: 11.77 | Economy rate: 6.95 | 4W: 2 | 5W: 0

Ottniel Baartman may have been pipped as top-wicket-taker for Season 2, but based on CricViz's MVP rankings model he claimed the Bowler of the Season award.

The 'Oudtshoorn Express' had the best economy rate of any pace bowler (6.95), the second best average of all bowlers (11.33) and had a top-5 strike rate of 10.16.

Baartman's game-winning ability was evident on three occasions. Firstly, when he bowled an excellent final over against MI Cape Town at Newlands to seal a four-run win. Then when blowing Pretoria Capitals away with a 4-12 spell and another four-for (4-10) in Qualifier 1 to secure Sunrisers' place in the Final - the latter two were Player of the Match-winning performances.

3. DANIEL WORRALL (SUNRISERS EASTERN CAPE)

Wickets: 17 | Best bowling: 3-20 vs Joburg Super Kings (A) | Average: 17.88 | Economy rate: 7.23 | 4W: 0 | 5W: 0

Daniel Worrall was one of the surprise packages of Betway SA20 Season 2. The Australia-born English swing bowler, was signed as a replacement for England fringe bowler Brydon Carse but slotted into the Sunrisers' Playing XI seamlessly.

Worrall often bowled three overs in the Powerplay with his economy setting opposing teams back, and allowing his bowling colleagues, Marco Jansen and Ottniel Baartman, to claim wickets.

His best returns came in Pretoria Capitals' record low innings of 52 at St George's Park (3-22) and when Joburg Super Kings could only manage 78 at Wanderers (3-20) highlighting the 'hole' Worrall's pressure put batting lineups under.

4. LIZAAD WILLIAMS (JOBURG SUPER KINGS)

Wickets: 15 | Best bowling: 4-26 vs Durban's Super Giants (A) | Average: 16.53 | Economy rate: 9.92 | 4W: 1 | 5W: 0

Joburg Super Kings lacked consistency throughout their team during Season 2, but not Lizaad Williams.

'The 'King of Wanderers' spearheaded JSK's efforts to sneak into the Playoffs, claiming a wicket in every match he played, including a best of 4-26 away at Durban's Super Giants. Williams' 3-47 in the home clash against DSG, helped secure JSK their playoffs place but then a side strain ended his campaign early and - arguably - his team's hopes of reaching the Final.

5. KESHAV MAHARAJ (DURBAN'S SUPER GIANTS)

Wickets: 15 | Best bowling: 2-17 vs Joburg Super Kings (H) | Average: 20.46 | Economy rate: 7.30 | 4W: 0 | 5W: 0

The fact that Keshav Maharaj's best figures for Season 2, are only 2-17, yet he still finished in the top 10 wicket-takers shows how consistent Durban's Super Giants captain was.

With Jon-Jon Smuts sometimes taking the new ball and Noor Ahmad emergence as the campaign wore on, 'Kesh' often took the back-seat but bowled through the middle overs with aplomb going at only 7.30 throughout the campaign. While he didn't lead his team to the title, he can be proud of his personal contribution to their much improved showing in Season 2.

6. WAYNE PARNELL (PRETORIA CAPITALS)

Wickets: 14 | Best bowling: 4-33 vs MI Cape Town (H) | Average: 17.35 | Economy rate: 10.56 | 4W: 1 | 5W: 0

Pretoria Capitals captain Wayne Parnell started Season 2 on the sidelines having been absent for the start of 2023-24 while recovering from a left shoulder injury.

However, when his team suffered back-to-back defeats to Paarl Royals to start their campaign, 'Parny' returned to the fold. Despite his ring-rustiness and Capitals indifferent form, he found his groove with 3-33 against Sunrisers Eastern Cape leading to an unexpected win. Parnell then produced a 4-33 in the end-of-group stage win over MI Cape Town - prompting an anxious wait to see if they would remain in fourth place. Ultimately, Joburg Super Kings snuck by Capitals, but Parnell had done all he could to keep his team's season alive for as long as it did.

7. JUNIOR DALA (DURBAN'S SUPER GIANTS)

Wickets: 13 | Best bowling: 5-26 vs Pretoria Capitals (H) | Average: 13.76 | Economy rate: 9.10 | 4W: 1 | 5W: 1

You can't find a more dedicated team player than Junior Dala, but that belies the ability that the right-arm quick has.

Given more game-time than even he must have anticipated pre-season, Dala's unerring badgering of batters came to the fore. His 'you miss, I hit' gameplan saw him pick up 13 wickets this campaign with a best of 5-26 when Pretoria Capitals came to Kingsmead but his 4-38 in Qualifier 2 curtailed Joburg Super Kings' hopes of a place in the Final.

8. LUNGI NGIDI (PAARL ROYALS)

Wickets: 13 | Best bowling: 4-39 vs Pretoria Capitals (A) | Average: 25.3 | Economy rate: 9.67 | 4W: 1 | 5W: 0

Lungi Ngidi was at his best in the first half the season, when he was the leading wicket taker and sat atop the CricViz-powered Bowler of the Season leaderboard.

At Boland Park his cutters and slower balls came to the fore and made him difficult to get away, as his 3-17 against Joburg Super Kings showed. He proved as much of a handful up country, best illustrated when he nabbed 4-39 against Pretoria Capitals at Centurion when he bowled at full tilt.

Ngidi lost his radar a bit at the tail end of the season, but can still look back at his campaign - and the 13 wickets he took - with satisfaction.

9. REECE TOPLEY (DURBAN'S SUPER GIANTS)

Wickets: 13 | Best bowling: 3-19 vs Joburg Super Kings (H) | Average: 25.3 | Economy rate: 8.43 | 4W: 0 | 5W: 0

Reece Topley didn't quite live up to his compatriot and English legend Stuart Broad's prediction that the left-arm quick would finish top wicket-taker.

Nonetheless, the 29-year-old proved to be a handful throughout Durban's Super Giants run to the Final. Economical up top and accurate at the death, Topley was never got on top of. His best figures, of 3-19 came early in the season, at Kingsmead against Joburg Super Kings, but he was as effective at home as he was on the road - whether down the coast or on the highveld.

10. NOOR AHMAD (DURBAN'S SUPER GIANTS)

Wickets: 12 | Best bowling: 5-11 vs Paarl Royals (H) | Average: 11.33 | Economy rate: 5.82 | 4W: 0 | 5W: 1

Having been signed as a replacement for Sri Lankan speedster Dilshan Madushanka, Noor Ahmad initially flew under the radar at Durban's Super Giants.

However, once Lance Klusener thrust the 19-year-old into the action he emerged as a star attraction. Noor found his feet in SA20 with 3-22 in Cape Town before stealing the headlines with the season's first five-for, an incredible 5-11 against Paarl Royals.

If he didn't have to return to Afghanistan duty during Playoffs week, Noor would undoubtedly had made a difference to DSG's title charge.