SACA MVP – SACA | South African Cricketers' Association

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Kyle Simmonds Crowned Overall Division 1 SACA MVP

The 2025/26 domestic cricket season concludes with Western Province all-rounder Kyle Simmonds named Division 1 Overall SACA MVP. Simmonds earned…

Liam Alder Named Overall SACA MVP for Domestic Division 2

Following the completion of all domestic fixtures, Liam Alder of the Garden Route Badgers finished at the top of the…

TWELVE YEARS OF RESEARCH-BASED PLAYER SERVICE

Over the past 12 years, the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) has cemented its dedication to evidence-based practice through a…

Kyle Simmonds Crowned Overall Division 1 SACA MVP

March 31, 2026April 30, 2026

The 2025/26 domestic cricket season concludes with Western Province all-rounder Kyle Simmonds named Division 1 Overall SACA MVP. Simmonds earned the title after a strong season, finishing with 335,487 MVP points in 13 matches.

Simmonds led an impressive top three, joined by Duan Jansen and Daniel Smith. Throughout the season, Simmonds showcased skills with both bat and ball across all formats, earning 107,677 batting points and 201,809 bowling points, contributing in the field and delivering key moments.

Simmonds’ standout performances in the 4-Day Series helped him secure the SACA MVP title for the format, earning 266,363 MVP points in seven matches. His main strength was red-ball bowling, which earned him 149,089 points, while his batting earned him 98,273 points. He finished ahead of Matthew Boast and Wiaan Mulder, building a lead that lasted all summer.

Titans Duan Jansen won the 1-Day Cup SACA MVP, collecting 121,581 MVP points in nine matches. His strong bowling earned him 70,304 points, with 30,278 from batting and six from match wins. Jansen was a top performer, finishing as the joint leading wicket-taker with 16 wickets. He ranked ahead of Malcolm Nofal and Patrick Kruger.

Matthew de Villiers of the Warriors led the T20 Challenge SACA MVP rankings with 122,051 MVP points in nine matches. He dominated with the bat, scoring 99,051 batting points without bowling. Captaincy, winning, and fielding points added to his total, putting him ahead of Imraan Manack and Eathan Bosch. His steady batting at a high strike rate helped him top the T20 leaderboard and stay competitive throughout the season.

The SACA MVP ranking recognises player achievements by measuring player impact in CSA’s domestic competitions using data analysis led by statistician Andrew Samson. The system calculates points for batting, bowling, and fielding based on match context and opposition strength, so recognition reflects real contributions.

SACA CEO Andrew Breetzke said: “We congratulate Kyle, Duan, and Matthew for winning the SACA MVP in their respective formats. It is a great achievement to be recognised as the most valuable player for the season. This season, players have challenged themselves, and we wish all players a restful off-season.”

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Liam Alder Named Overall SACA MVP for Domestic Division 2

March 25, 2026April 30, 2026

Following the completion of all domestic fixtures, Liam Alder of the Garden Route Badgers finished at the top of the SACA MVP overall rankings, identifying him as the most valuable player in the division across all formats.

Alder won the Overall Division 2 SACA MVP title with 360,805 points across 20 matches, providing a consistent baseline for his team. His slow left-arm orthodox bowling earned him 257,542 bowling points, while his contributions with the bat resulted in 65,262 batting points, comprising two half-centuries in the 4-Day Series, where he maintained an average of 35.22. Alder’s total was further supported by 11 winning points and 7 fielding points, marking him as the most statistically active performer in the division this summer.

Emanuel Motswiri of the Limpopo Impalas was named the 1-Day Cup SACA MVP in Division 2. In six matches, Motswiri accumulated 126,878 total MVP points through a campaign based on bowling performance, where he took 16 wickets at an average of 16.81 and an economy rate of 5.85. Motswiri also provided middle-order runs, scoring two half-centuries to earn 24,851 batting points, showcasing his ability to perform in the 50-over format.

The red-ball format of the division was led by all-rounder Ernest Kemm of the Eastern Storm, who won the 4-Day Series SACA MVP title with 309,037 points. Since moving to the Eastern Storm, Kemm has added value to the team environment as a senior player, and his impact is reflected in his second-place finish in the overall rankings with 341,536 points. He ended the season as the division’s leading wicket-taker with 40 wickets, including five five-wicket hauls.

The T20 Knockout MVP went to Alindile Mhletywa of the Eastern Cape Iinyathi, who topped the rankings with 101,912 MVP points after taking 15 wickets at an average of 12.08 during the Iinyathi T20 campaign.

Recognition of these performances is facilitated by the SACA MVP ranking system, which measures player impact in CSA’s domestic competitions. Administered by statistician Andrew Samson, the domestic SACA MVP algorithm provides a data-driven analysis of performance, awarding points for batting, bowling, and fielding metrics based on match context and oppositional strength. Match impact points are also awarded for team wins and Man of the Match performances, ensuring recognition is based on statistical impact and match contributions.

Andrew Breetzke, SACA CEO, commented, “We would like to congratulate Liam, Ernest, Emanuel, and Alindile for winning the SACA MVP in their respective categories. It is a great achievement and an honour to be recognised as the most valuable player of the season. We wish all players a restful off-season after challenging themselves throughout the year.”

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Du Preez Crowned Overall Domestic Women’s SACA MVP Winner

March 17, 2026April 30, 2026

The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) has announced the winners of the Domestic Women’s SACA MVP awards for the 2025/26 domestic season. Former Proteas captain Mignon du Preez, seasoned all-rounder Nicolien Janse van Rensburg, and emerging talent Alexandra Candler claimed the top honours across the overall and format-specific rankings, marking a season of high-performance cricket in the domestic landscape.

Mignon du Preez finished the season at the summit of the overall SACA MVP rankings with 249,953 total MVP points. Representing the North-West Dragons, the veteran batter’s consistency across both the Pro50 and Pro20 formats secured her the title. Du Preez remains a dominant force in domestic cricket, with her season marked by high-impact half-centuries and a superior points-per-match average. In the Pro50 series, she accumulated 142 runs across four innings at an average of 35.50, including two half-centuries.

Her performance in the CSA Women’s Pro20 Series 2025/26 was particularly noteworthy, where she recorded the most fifties in the competition. A standout moment of her campaign was a 115-run partnership with Lizri de Villiers against the Garden Route Badgers in Oudtshoorn, which ranks as the second-highest partnership of the Pro20 season. Her ability to anchor innings while maintaining a high strike rate provided a significant points cushion over her competitors, reinforcing her status as one of the premier performers in the South African game.

For the second consecutive year, Nicolien Janse van Rensburg has secured the Pro50 Series SACA MVP title, accumulating 147,843 points. The Garden Route Badgers all-rounder was the most valuable player of the Pro50 series and finished as the leading wicket-taker in the competition with 16 wickets. Throughout her Women’s List A career, Janse van Rensburg has maintained a bowling average of 15.97 and a strike rate of 23.95. Her 2025/26 campaign was bolstered by disciplined seam bowling, highlighted by best bowling figures of 5 for 28. Her match-winning influence was evident in her ability to strike regularly while maintaining an economy rate of 4.00, solidifying her reputation as a consistent senior player.

The Pro20 Series T20 MVP title was awarded to Alexandra Candler, who finished the shortest format with 163,266 points. The 22-year-old Dolphins all-rounder enjoyed a breakthrough season, showcasing versatility with both bat and ball. Candler’s T20 campaign was characterised by aggressive batting and breakthroughs with her medium pace, but it was also defined by her ability to build match-winning stands. She was a key contributor in two of the highest partnerships in the CSA Women’s Pro20 Series during the 2025/26 season, demonstrating her value as a tactical middle-order anchor.

The SACA MVP uses an internationally recognised rankings system to measure key influencers in CSA’s domestic competitions. Administered by cricket statistician Andrew Samson, the algorithm provides an objective, data-driven analysis of player performance. Points are awarded based on batting metrics such as runs and strike rates, bowling performance including wickets and economy, and fielding contributions. Match impact bonus points are also awarded for team wins and Man of the Match performances. This system ensures that recognition is based purely on statistical impact and match-winning contributions.

SACA CEO, Andrew Breetzke, commented, “We congratulate Mignon, Nicolien, and Alexandra for winning the title of SACA MVP in their respective categories. It is a great achievement to be recognised as the most valuable player for the season. This season, players have challenged themselves and let their talent shine. We wish all players a restful off-season.