WHERE ARRIVALS BUILD THE EXCITEMENT

Player arrivals, kit reveals and media content days are always an exciting time for the six Betway SA20 teams because it signals the new season being mere days away - and allows fans a first glimpse of new recruits.

It’s been no different ahead of Season 3 as, mere hours into the new year, MI Cape Town began revealing who had already made it to their base in the ‘Mother City’. Intriguingly the first of the players (after head coach Robin Peterson and new bowling coach, Mitchell McCleneghan) to sign the roster was New Zealand icon, Trent Boult – who is set to complete the collection of ‘MI’ kits in his closet back home. With six of their squad completing national obligations (with South Africa, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka) and the League opener on the horizon, Peterson and his support staff will look to operate smartly in the coming days.

Meanwhile, Tweede Nuwejaar (Afrikaans for January 2) was a particularly busy day for check-ins.

Sunrisers Eastern Cape had 15 of their squad all settle into team hotel – lead by their quintet of English players, namely Liam Dawson, Tom Abell, Zak Crawley, Richard Gleeson and Craig Overton. The only absentees were their four Proteas Test players taking on Pakistan – captain Aiden Markram, allrounder Marco Jansen (Season 2’s Rising Star award winner), record buy Tristan Stubbs and David Bedingham, their Wildcard for this campaign. Of course, head coach Adrian Birrell had made sure to be ready and waiting to greet all his players as they gathered.

Meanwhile, up in the ‘City of Gold’, speedster Gerald Coetzee was first through the door at their HQ and all associated with Joburg Super Kings will hope ‘Karate Kid’ is fully-fit and rearing to go – especially after injuries to fellow quicks Nandre Burger and Lizaad Williams ruled them out of Season 3.

Within 48 hours, 16 of their players had arrived (captain Faf du Plessis, ‘homecomer’ Devon Conway and England wicketkeeper-batter Jonny Bairstow included) but it was left to the spin twins, Imran Tahir and Tabraiz Shamsi - traded-in from Paarl Royals) -to talk about Season 3 first.

“I’m so excited to finally be part of the most-loved franchise,” Shamsi told Tahir in a joint-video with the now-45-year-old explaining to him what makes JSK special and asserting that Shamsi will be backed.

Up at their neighbours, new head coach Jonathan Trott lead the way, followed by erstwhile captain Wayne Parnell and Anrich Nortje, also back fit after missing Season 2.

“The goal will be the same as always, to obviously go out there and win this SA20,” Parnell said before revealing the value of a mini-camp Capitals held a few weeks back involving local players.

“All of the new local recruits were also there [like Marques Ackerman, Kyle Simmonds, Steve Stolk and Rookie Keagan Lion-Cachet], just interacting with everyone and getting a sense of how they are, how they operate.”

Early arrivals at the Pretoria Capitals base, included new head coach Jonathan Trott, erstwhile captain Wayne Parnell, fit-again Anrich Nortje and Steve Stolk - now finished with high school and Under-19 World Cup commitments.

On a personal level, injury has meant Parnell last played a professional match at the start of April 2024.

“I’ve left no stone unturned and have gone through the whole process of the rehab and now it’s just about getting into ‘game mode’. Once the matches come around, you have to take it to the next level.”

Durban’s Super Giants left it to January 3 to start trickling in, with allrounder Dwaine Pretorius having a full day to himself at their team hotel.

“I try and always be the first one here to prepare a bit earlier and make sure my body is in the right condition. Hopefully we can put in some solid performances for the team this year,” Pretorius told DSG’s digital team.

Next to arrive, a day later, was their star pre-signing, New Zealand legend Kane Williamson and he even beat Durban-based players Bryce Parsons and Prenelan Subrayen as well as Season 2 star player, Heinrich Klaasen, Junior Dala and Quinton de Kock. Their captain, Keshav Maharaj will be one of the ‘late’ arrivals, alongside Wiaan Mulder as they’re also on Proteas Test duty.

Finally, and much like they did ahead of last season, Paarl Royals had their players revealing their arrivals on January 4 via quirky videos. As such, the likes of Nqaba Peter, Keith Dudgeon, Bjorn Fortuin, Mitchell van Buuren, Codi Yusuf and Joe Root had some fun before the serious stuff begins.

England legend, Root, is the first of nine newbies for Season 3 (11 if you include Kwena Maphaka and Lhuan-dre Pretorius who missed last season) to get familiar with his home-away-from-home for the next five to six weeks.

All told, the arrival of players adds to lustre to build-up for what is set to be another incredible month of cricket, entertainment and fun across South Africa.