South Africa have very little match preparation for the T20I World Cup in the Caribbean and USA in June this year — they only have three T20I matches scheduled against West Indies before the tournament.

It’s for this reason, Proteas white-ball coach Rob Walter has said that franchise T20 competitions will play a big role in the selection of his World Cup squad.

“We’re always looking for performances, but more so performances that sit within the space of the way we want to play the game,” Walter said at the end of last year.

“The SA20 competition will be significant for us because all our best players will compete in a strong competition in the year of a World Cup, and the bulk of them will probably also go to an IPL [Indian Premier League] where competition will be strong as well.

“The downside is that we only get together for three games before the T20 World Cup.” 

If the World Cup squad were selected today, based on SA20 performances, a few Proteas regulars would be fortunate to make the squad.

Proteas’ wicketkeeper batter, Quinton de Kock, has had an extremely slow start to the tournament thus far.

De Kock – who was by far the country’s best batter in the ODI World Cup last year – has scored just 62 runs in six innings with a high score of 25 for Durban’s Super Giants in the SA20 so far. 

He’s not striking particularly quickly in those short innings either with a strike rate just over 100. 

“He’ll win us one or two big games going forward so we’re not concerned about that,” Lance Klusener, head coach of Durban’s Super Giants, said after his team beat MI Cape Town by 36 runs on Tuesday.

“He has high standards so he’s probably a little frustrated with himself… He was unlucky I guess with the bat,” Klusener added after De Kock was dismissed for a first ball duck.

“I thought his keeping was outstanding this evening and that just shows his spirit and his space.”

Ryan Rickelton of MI Cape Town celebrates reaching another half-century. Rickelton is the Betway SA20’s leading run scorer in 2024. (Photo: Sportzpics)

Stiff competition

In the meanwhile, there is another South African left-handed opening batter who keeps wickets that has lit up the start of the SA20.

After an electric start with the bat, Ryan Rickelton’s run of form has slowed down slightly. The MI Cape Town opening batter scored 337 runs in his first four innings with a lowest score of 58 and a top score of 98. 

But in his last two innings, against the Paarl Royals and Durban’s Super Giants, the wicketkeeper batter only managed five and 13. 

“We saw at the start of this competition, the first four games, that he played in a very positive manner, something that is very natural for him because he’s a strong lad,” MI Cape Town batting coach Hashim Amla said on Tuesday.

“He’s a six hitter … He’s someone who is putting his hand up to represent South Africa in the white ball version of the game.”

For Rickelton, who has represented the country in Test and ODI cricket but not T20I, being left out of South Africa’s squads in all three formats for India’s recent tour has freed him.

“This summer has been a bit difficult having been left out of the national side,” The leading run-scorer in the SA20 said recently.

“Mentally, I took a hit. I’ve been looking for answers both on the field and off the field.

“Coming into this tournament I just said ‘I have nothing to lose’.”

The World Cup is still more than five months away but Rickelton has proven that he is someone capable of attacking the powerplay and has a penchant for big runs once in.

Chasing well

The South African youngsters have been leading the way in chasing targets this week. 

First it was Tristan Stubbs who played a match winning unbeaten knock of 66 off 37 deliveries for Sunrisers Eastern Cape, helping his side get over the line against Durban’s Super Giants.

It’s Stubbs’ second half-century in three innings, having only been dismissed once so far this season. It’s already a much better season for the most expensive man in the league. His highest score in the inaugural season was 30.

In Johannesburg, Donovan Ferreira smashed the fastest half-century in SA20 history against the Pretoria Capitals to help steer Joburg Super Kings to their first win of the season. 

The burly late-order hitter deposited the white leather across Wanderers Stadium, in the process recording the biggest six, of 106 metres, so far. 

Ferreira clubbed seven fours and three sixes as he brought up his 50 in 18 deliveries before finishing on an undefeated 56 off 20 deliveries.  The big hitter helped his side chase down the Capitals’ 167, relegating them to their fourth loss of the tournament.

The Capitals are currently the basement dwellers, who along with Joburg Super Kings, have only recorded one victory so far. 

Ottniel Baartman of Sunrisers Eastern Cape celebrates the wicket of Eathan Bosch of Pretoria Capitals in the Betway SA20. (Photo: Sportzpics)

Swing and seam

Ottniel Baartman has been the pick of the bowlers in the past week. 

His spell on Monday night was one of the best examples of seam bowling in T20 cricket in the country. The man from Oudtshoorn recorded remarkable figures of four for 12 runs in 3.3 overs in a man-of-the-match showing that saw Pretoria Capitals dismissed for 52 runs — the lowest SA20 total.

Baartman’s incredible showing takes him to third on the wicket taking standings with eight scalps in four matches. Only Proteas quicks Lungi Ngidi and Lizaad Williams are above him currently. DM