South Africa’s One Day International (ODI) team currently languishes in 11th place on the World Cup Super League (WCSL) standings. The top eight teams qualify directly for the ODI World Cup — which takes place from October in India — but with a home series against England and the Netherlands to come, South Africa is expected to sneak into one of those eight positions. 

That does not negate the fact that the Proteas have been woeful in the qualification process thus far — winning only five of their 16 matches in the WCSL before their upcoming ODI series versus England. 

For the three-match ODI series against England, starting on 27 January, new coach Rob Walter and Cricket South Africa (CSA) convenor of selectors Victor Mpitsang have played it safe and opted for largely the same squad that did duty throughout 2022.

But to be successful at the global event later this year, more dynamic selection needs to take place.

Dewald Brevis of MI Cape Town in action against Pretoria Capitals at Newlands on 23 January 2023. (Photo by SA20 / Sportzpics / Gallo Images)

With Walter only officially taking up his position as white-ball coach on 1 February (red-ball coach Shukri Conrad will oversee the series against England), the dynamic selection is quite possible heading into the rest of 2023. 

Walter has made it clear that he is open to having conversations with former national team captain Faf du Plessis about his re-inclusion in the side.

And CSA director of cricket Enoch Nkwe has said the T20 and ODI formats are “close to each other” in terms of player performance, and players can be picked for the 50-over format based on their 20-over form. 

Form players

The Joburg Super Kings captain turns 39 this year but is as nimble as ever on the field and his experience at a World Cup will be invaluable to a relatively inexperienced Proteas team. 

With the bat, Du Plessis is the second-highest run scorer in the SA20 —  having played one less match than leader Jos Buttler — with 277 runs. 

He averages an impressive 46.16 at a strike rate of 148.13 in the tournament. His stats are slightly inflated by an irrepressible unbeaten 113 scored off 58 deliveries on Tuesday against Durban’s Super Giants. 

Read in Daily Maverick: 

“A breakdown: The six SA20 teams vying for the inaugural trophy”

“Howzat? The ins and outs of the long-awaited inaugural SA20 tournament”

The SA20 has been a breath of fresh air in South African cricket. For the first time in years there are stadiums filled with crowds and supporters excited about the game in the country.

The point of the tournament was to ensure the future of the game in South Africa financially while exposing young talented players to a higher level of cricket. 

Faf du Plessis of the Joburg Super Kings bats during their SA20 match against Durban’s Super Giants at the Wanderers on 24 January 2023. (Photo: SA20 / Sportzpics / Gallo Images)

As the tournament takes a break for the series between the Proteas and England, a number of local players have raised their hands and stood out in a talented pool in the SA20.

The name on everyone’s lips is Dewald Brevis. The 19-year-old, although inconsistent, has shown glimpses of immeasurable talent.

Brevis is on the other end of the experience ledge to Du Plessis, but his willow-wielding talent is undoubted.

“There’s a lot of noise around Brevis. We know how good he is. He has shown it in SA20, he has played some good cricket and he has been pretty consistent in T20 cricket,” Nkwe said at the unveiling of the new national coaches.  

Faf du Plessis hits a boundary during the Joburg Super Kings’s SA20 match against Durban’s Super Giants at the Wanderers on 24 January 2023. (Photo: SA20 / Sportzpics / Gallo Images)

“Both coaches [Walter and Conrad] are big believers in looking after the younger generation, but also not just throwing them in the deep end,” Nkwe added. 

Brevis set the SA20 alight during the first match of the tournament when he scored an electric 70 0ff 41 deliveries. 

The explosive youngster has since gone a little bit quiet, scoring zero, 42, 15, 6, 2 and 46 in his next six matches. The inconsistent performances are to be expected of a player so young, but there is no doubting his exponential talent.

Uncapped stars

All-rounder Evan Jones only started playing professional cricket in 2020 but has taken to it like a fish to water. The 26-year-old has been a mainstay in the Paarl Royals squad in the SA20.

Captain David Miller has thrown Jones the ball at the most crucial moments of the match and the youngster has repaid his captain in heaps. 

Bjorn Fortuin of Paarl Royals makes an impression against Sunrisers Eastern Cape at Boland Park in Paarl on 19 January 2023. (Photo: SA20 / Sportzpics / Gallo Images)

Jones is currently the fourth-highest wicket taker in the tournament with 12 scalps. His economy is slightly on the high side, at 8.60, but he strikes regularly at 11.17 balls per wicket. 

Jones has had limited opportunities with the bat, coming to the crease on only four occasions, although he has not grabbed his limited chances, with a high score of only 13 not out. 

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For the Joburg Super Kings, Leus du Plooy is an overseas player despite being born in South Africa. The impressive left-hander qualifies for the green and gold and has spent much of his formative cricket years in the country despite playing as a local in England for Derbyshire. 

Du Plooy initially sat out the first two games — due to the four-overseas-players restriction in the league — but has been on fire since being given a chance. 

The 28-year-old has an absurd average of 81.50 in the tournament, which is helped by the fact that he has only been dismissed twice so far. 

The Stylish middle-order batter has scored 163 runs for his side at a strike rate of 134.71.

Capped players

Bjorn Fortuin has represented the Proteas in three ODIs. The role of slow left-arm tweaker is usually occupied by Keshav Maharaj in the national team, but Fortuin’s form in the SA20 is hard to ignore. 

The Paarl Royals spinner is currently tied second-highest wicket taker — with Anrich Nortje — in the tournament with 13 vital scalps. 

Bjorn Fortuin of Paarl Royals plays a shot against Sunrisers Eastern Cape at Boland Park in Paarl on 19 January 2023. (Photo: SA20 / Sportzpics / Gallo Images)

Fortuin is operating at an economy of 6.29 per over, which is made more impressive by the fact that he usually bowls in the powerplay — often taking the first over. 

Fortuin has always been an economical bowler but the 28-year-old seems to have taken his game to another level this season.

George Linde has been solid with the ball so far in the SA20 for MI Cape Town. He has taken five scalps in seven outings at a credible economy of 7.32. 

But where Linde has been impressive, is with the bat. The hard-hitting left-hander has scored 134 with a top score of 63 at a spectacular strike rate of 167.5 — the fifth-best in the tournament.

With the Proteas needing all the help possible to reposition themselves as a global powerhouse in cricket, some of these players may prove useful in future. DM