MARK BUTCHER: KLAASEN IS THE BEST T20 BATTER IN THE WORLD

Heinrich Klaasen is certainly the rage at the moment. 

And former England batter Mark Butcher believes there is nobody better in T20 cricket than the red-hot Durban’s Super Giants master blaster. 

Butcher is presently in South Africa where he is performing commentary for the SuperSport crew on Betway SA20. 

He was also recently at the ICC Cricket World Cup in India where he watched first-hand Klaasen destroy England in the searing Mumbai heat with a stroke-filled 109 in just 67 balls.

While that performance may have occurred in the 50-overs version of the game, Klaasen has consistently been among the star performers  in T20 competitions around the world the past 18 months. He is also currently the leading run-scorer in the history of Betway SA20 with 526 runs in 13 innings.

“It is difficult to look past Heinrich Klaasen (as the potential top-run getter in Season 2),” Butcher said.

“He is just on such a great run of form at the moment. He must be one of the best … if not the best … T20 batter in world cricket.”

Klaasen will next be in action when his Durban's Super Giants host Sunrisers Eastern Cape in a coastal derby on Saturday (13:30) at Kingsmead.

Butcher also has huge admiration for his English compatriot Will Jacks, who struck the fastest century in the history of the competition for Pretoria Capitals against Durban’s Super Giants at Centurion on Thursday evening.

“We just watched Will Jacks make an unbelievable 100 off just 40 balls. He plays for my old club Surrey. It's always nice to see those guys do well,” he said.

“There are a lot of other English players, and even some that are not in the international set up as well, and have come out here and are doing well. It’s a wonderful thing for other players to gain experience amongst high-quality international players.”

Will Jacks will be among a long list of dangermen when his Pretoria Capitals travel to their 'Big City' neighbours Joburg Super Kings on Saturday (17:30).

Butcher is certainly enjoying his time in South Africa. An avid guitar player, he feels that the competition has certainly hit the right notes both on and off the field.

“It’s my first experience live. It has been fantastic. I watched it from the UK last year,” he said. 

“It looked like the party was pretty good. The cricket was epic. There are six really good players with excellent players from around the world. 

“And it hasn’t disappointed since being here live. It has been a lot of fun and it's been the talk of the town. 

“The fact that are only six teams in it, such a high concentration of talent, it means that every game is high quality. 

“An amazing job has also been done in promoting it, and making sure that people in South Africa are getting behind their local side to turn up in numbers for live games. That’s what it's all about. The entertainment only comes when there are people in the ground.”

Butcher also feels that Betway SA20 has crossed the hurdle of meeting expectations in Season 2.

“There have been plenty of eye-catching performances and there certainly will be many more. As long as the surfaces are great, and the crowds come out, everyone is going to have a ball,” the former left-handed opener said. 

“There is always a worry about the second year. Can you back up what happened in the first year? I think they’ve done it. The crowds have really bought into the teams more than they did last year.

“That sea of orange down at Sunrisers Eastern Cape is something I will never forget. And the more word spreads, and people see how much fun it is, and more people get involved in the Betway Catch 2 Million, the more this thing will grow. 

“This is exactly the way to do it. Keep it short! Keep it sharp! Keep it high-quality! And SA20 will go from strength to strength.”