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THE BOWLERS WHO DEFINED BETWAY SA20 SEASON 2
For the month of May, SA20 reflects on the incredible bowlers of Season 2. Here are the chosen 12 fast, spin, seam and swing bowlers who made life difficult for the batters looking to go big.
REECE TOPLEY (Durban's Super Giants)
Durban's Super Giants' batters tended to get most of the plaudits for their run to the Season 2 Final, but in Reece Topley they had a world class bowler setting the platform upfront with the ball. The 30-year-old left-armer picked up 13 wickets through the campaign usually spreading his overs either end of the opponents innings. Topley tended to keep it tight while surprising batters with the odd yorker or slower bouncer - never mind using his angles. England are looking to make full use of the skills he put on display during SA20 when the T20 World Cup gets underway in June.
LIZAAD WILLIAMS (Joburg Super Kings)
Joburg Super Kings seamer Lizaad Williams was one of the revelations of SA20 Season 2. While JSK were struggling to get results, the 30-year-old was doing all he could to change that with match-turning spells and an iconic celebration which earned him the 'King of Wanderers' moniker.
With his 15 wickets ultimately guiding JSK to the playoffs, it was a cruel twist of fate when Williams was ruled out through injury. Nonetheless, he was rewarded post-season with a IPL deal at Delhi Capitals.
KAGISO RABADA (MI Cape Town)
As is often the case with the national team, Kagiso Rabada was the leading light among MI Cape Town's bowlers in Season 2. The tearaway claimed 9 wickets, and contributed across the campaign.
More often than not, batters took the attack to whoever was sharing a spell with 'KG' which shows the reverence in which the 28-year-old is held in. Any lingering SA20 frustration will undoubtedly be evident when he spearheads the Proteas' T20 World Cup campaign.
LUNGI NGIDI (Paarl Royals)
Lungi Ngidi started Season 2 like a house on fire with his performances propelling Paarl Royals to the top of the table early on and himself to the top of the bowling rankings. His most notable spell was 4/39 against Pretoria Capitals at Centurion - his domestic home ground - and he quickly raced to 13 wickets for the campaign.
It was notable that Royals' season tailed off as 28-year-old quick lost his radar slightly, and then an injury ruled him out of the Eliminator against Joburg Super Kings which the men in pink lost.
WAYNE PARNELL (Pretoria Capitals)
Pretoria Capitals captain Wayne Parnell missed their first two matches of Season 2, while recovering from a shoulder injury, yet still finished as their top wicket-taker (14) for the campaign.
Now 34, the left-armer uses all the tricks in his armoury to get the better of batters whether it's a change of angle, speed or going cross-seam on slower wickets and he continues to reap the benefits.
OTTNIEL BAARTMAN (Sunrisers Eastern Cape)
During Season 2 Sunrisers Eastern Cape's Ottniel Baartman claimed 18 wickets, while bowling at an incredibly miserly economy rate of 6.95 and picked up two four-wicket hauls to boot. All told, those exploits rightfully earned the seamer the Bowler of the Season award with selection into the Proteas T20 World Cup squad being further reward.
CLICK HERE FOR BAARTMAN STATS | ALSO READ: 'Betway SA20 has helped prepare me for international cricket' - Baartman
KESHAV MAHARAJ (Durban's Super Giants)
When it comes to the Durban's Super Giants and their successful Season 2 campaign, Keshav Maharaj was undoubtedly a 'silent assassin'. Yes, his leadership was at the forefront considering he fronted every pre- and post-match interview and posed with the trophy ahead of the Final, but few might not realise he was the team's leading wicket-taker during the campaign.
Apart from the 15 wickets, batters struggled to get 'Kesh' away, with his control highlighted by his 7.30 economy rate. Post-season, the 34-year-old took on a training stint with DSG's sister team Lucknow Super Giants but that lead to a playing contract at Rajasthan Royals and it all means that Maharaj will arrive at the T20 World Cup full of confidence - and as a danger man to opposing batters.
CLICK HERE FOR MAHARAJ STATS | ALSO READ: Maharaj's delight in Royals IPL gig
NANDRE BURGER (Joburg Super Kings)
There are very few SA20 bowlers who bowl with as much fire as Joburg Super Kings' Nandre Burger. That much was evident in the way the 28-year-old celebrated all 11 wickets he claimed during Season 2.
Burger always runs in with intensity and purpose, and the reward is watching batters uncomfortably dealing with his inswingers, bouncers and stare downs - the fast bowlers starter pack. What has set Burger apart during the entirety of the 2023-24 season is his ability to pick up key wickets, a surefire reason why Rajasthan Royals signed him up at auction for the IPL, and why he has broken into all three Proteas squads (though will only be a travelling reserve to the T20 World Cup).
GEORGE LINDE (MI Cape Town)
With the absence of Rashid Khan, George Linde took on the mantle of MI Cape Town's senior spinner during Season 2. Apart from taking care of his own performances, which yielded seven wickets at a miserly 8.03, the 32-year-old also guided newbie Thomas Kaber - who matched Linde's wickets tally - through his maiden campaign.
BJORN FORTUIN (Paarl Royals)
If there's an SA20 bowler who understands the conditions at his home ground best, then it's Paarl Royals' spinner Bjorn Fortuin at Boland Park. Despite doing the majority of his bowling in the power play, the 29-year-old maintained an incredible economy rate of 7.14 throughout the campaign. He may have only have picked up six wickets along the way, but his opening bowling mates Lungi Ngidi and Obed McCoy reaped the wicket-taking benefit of Fortuin tying up the big-hitters.
ADIL RASHID (Pretoria Capitals)
If you look purely at Adil Rashid's wicket count, 8, for Season 2 it would seem the Pretoria Capitals leg-spinner had a quiet season. However, the thing about the wily Englishman is that he always remains in a game whether it's producing 3/30 in their rearguard win over eventual champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape or maintaining an economy rate of 8.30 in season when batters feasted. It also can't be forgotten, that Rashid remains the number 1-ranked T20 bowler on the ICC rankings.
MARCO JANSEN (Sunrisers Eastern Cape)
With 20 wickets to his name in Season 2, Marco Jansen finished as the leading wicket-taker of the campaign. 'Lang man' built up an fantastic opening partnership with Sunrisers Eastern Cape teammate Daniel Worrall during the season, with the Australian keeping it tight with his seamers while Jansen picked up the wickets using his bouncy in-swingers and slower balls. It wasn't just upfront where the 24-year-old proved a handful, as his 5/30 in the Final showed... as for the second season running, he was the final act of the showpiece match.
VOTE for your favourite bowler from the list above in this month’s competition to stand a chance of winning a Betway SA20 merchandise hamper, including a signed bat from Season 2.
