RICKELTON, MULDER PRIMED TO MAKE IMPACT FOR DOMESTIC TEAM

Fresh after winning the domestic four-day title, Wanderers-based Lions have named a Betway SA20-laden squad for their CSA T20 Challenge campaign.

Chief among the Lions' 18-man squad is Ryan Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder, who secured places in the SA20 Team of the Season courtesy of their exploits for MI Cape Town and Durban's Super Giants respectively.

Rickelton, who was the leading run-scorer in South Africa's premier T20 cricket league with 530 runs at an average of 58.89 and a strike-rate of 173.77, is determined to be a star man for his domestic team too.

“We will have a full squad, barring KG [Kagiso Rabada] when he goes to the IPL, so we have a powerhouse team, obviously we’re going to put our names up for the overall win," he told Lions media ahead of their opening CSA T20 Challenge match against the Rocks from Paarl.

"We would be upset if we don’t get that far and we’re really looking forward to it after winning the four-day title, which was a big incentive for us because we haven’t won that in a while. Now I want to make sure I make an impact for the Lions, that is hugely important for me,” Rickelton said.

All-rounder Mulder's batting came to the fore during SA20, where he averaged a healthy 37.13 and scored at a dynamic 157.14 - primarily in a 'finisher' role for runners-up DSG. The freedom in his batting has been evident all season, with Mulder crediting the coaches he has worked with in recent times.

“Russell Domingo [Lions head coach and Sunrisers Eastern Cape batting coach] and Hashim Amla [Lions and MI Cape Town batting coach] have been incredible for my game, they have really motivated me and allowed me to just go and play, to break the shackles. Because of them I took a lot of confidence into the SA20. I discovered a couple of new things about my game during the tournament. I worked really hard on playing spin and finishing, which is a part of the game Mark Boucher thought I lacked when he was Proteas coach. I spent quite a lot of time working with Heinrich [Klaasen] and Dwaine Pretorius, but I’m never going to be that type of batter, having a perfect swing and getting carried away hitting sixes. But I can hit space and I can score different sorts of boundaries, I can still score 50 off 25 balls.”

Including Rickelton and Mulder, the Lions can call on 14 SA-signed players. Punters are eagerly awaiting Kagiso Rabada and his protégé Kwena Maphaka potentially sharing the new ball, while Proteas stars Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen and Temba Bavuma will look to take the charge to opposition bowlers. Canny spinner Bjorn Fortuin will lead the Lions in the CSA T20 Challenge, which starts for them with a home clash against the Rocks on Friday afternoon.

FULL LIONS CSA T20 CHALLENGE SQUAD

Temba Bavuma (Sunrisers Eastern Cape), Junaid Dawood, Connor Esterhuizen (MI Cape Town), Zubayr Hamza, Reeza Hendricks (Joburg Super Kings), Bjorn Fortuin (Paarl Royals), Evan Jones (Paarl Royals), Kwena Maphaka (Paarl Royals), Tshepo Moreki, Wiaan Mulder (Durban's Super Giants), Nqaba Peter (Paarl Royals), Delano Potgieter (MI Cape Town), Kagiso Rabada (MI Cape Town), Ryan Rickelton (MI Cape Town), Lutho Sipamla, Mitchell van Buuren (Paarl Royals), Rassie van der Dussen (MI Cape Town), Codi Yusuf (Paarl Royals).