Tag: Heinrich Klaasen

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Proteas Prepare for International Summer as SACA MVP Expands 

The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) anticipates an exciting international summer for both the Proteas Men and Women. Kicking off…

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SACA Celebrates Tony Irish on Receiving the Prestigious Tim May Medal of Honour

The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) is proud to celebrate its founder and former CEO, Tony Irish, who received the…

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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…

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SACA Congratulates Proteas Men SACA MVP winners

The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) congratulates the Proteas men’s team on an incredibly successful 2024/25 season. This remarkable year is further highlighted by the exceptional individual performances celebrated in the SACA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Rankings, meticulously compiled in partnership with CricViz.

This season has been a testament to the dedication, passion and resilience of the Proteas squad. Their journey to becoming World Test Champions and reaching the finals of the ICC T20 World Cup is a source of immense pride.

Leading the charge in individual recognition, all-rounder Marco Jansen has firmly held onto his top spot in the overall Proteas Men SACA MVP rankings. Jansen’s all-format brilliance saw him amass an impressive 364.298 MVP points, finishing 7.24 points ahead of Aiden Markram (357.058 MVP points) and Tristan Stubbs (340.424 MVP points). Jansen’s impactful contributions with bat and ball have helped in his steady ascension to the top of the rankings.

In red-ball, fast bowler Kagiso Rabada concludes the season at the pinnacle of the Test rankings. Rabada’s relentless pace and crucial wicket-taking abilities in each test match were instrumental in the Proteas’ wins. He finished top of the Proteas Men SACA MVP test rankings on 208.863 MVP points, followed by the ever-consistent Keshav Maharaj (178.482 MVP points) in second and Aiden Markram (176.062 MVP points) in third position.

The Proteas also showcased explosive individual performances in white-ball cricket. Heinrich Klaasen dominated in the One Day Internationals, finishing the season on 85.11 MVP points in six matches. Klaasen’s explosive hitting and crucial contributions were particularly highlighted by his fifth consecutive 50-plus score in ODIs. In the T20 International format, Marco Jansen again showcased his all-round prowess, ending the season at the top of the T20i rankings with 163.63 MVP points.

The SACA Most Valuable Player Rankings, powered by the cutting-edge analytics of CricViz, offer an in-depth, objective reflection of player impact. This sophisticated algorithm goes beyond traditional statistics, considering expected performance on every ball according to CricViz’s extensive venue, event and player database. It calculates batting, bowling, and fielding performances, factors in match-defining contributions, and even accounts for the historic performances of the venue where each fixture is played. This comprehensive analysis, which quantifies a player’s influence in runs scored, conceded, and saved, provides a more accurate reflection of the top performers in the game compared to conventional batting and bowling averages.

Andrew Breetzke, SACA CEO, stated: “This has been an extraordinary season for the Proteas men’s team, starting the season as finalists in the T20 World Cup final and ending as the victors of the Test Championship. SACA is incredibly proud of every player’s commitment and achievements. The SACA MVP rankings enable us to truly celebrate the multifaceted contributions of our MVPs, such as Marco, Kagiso, and Heinrich. Their outstanding statistics across formats, as accurately measured by the MVP, are a testament to their dedication and skill.”

Khaya Zondo, SACA President, added: “What a magnificent season it has been for the Proteas! We have witnessed a historic season in South African cricket, a testament to the collective spirit and unwavering commitment of this team. A massive congratulations to our SACA MVP winners – Marco, Kagiso and Heinrich. Even through their individual brilliance, it is the unity and shared purpose that have enabled the Proteas to achieve historic greatness in a single season. This team has inspired a nation and has set the bar for the future.

Proteas Men SACA MVP Rankings as of 17 June 2025:

Overall Rankings
Test Rankings
ODI Rankings
T20i Rankings
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Proteas SACA MVP Wrap-Up: Klaasen Ascends, Jansen Takes Overall Lead

The ICC Champions Trophy saw the Proteas showcase some impactful individual performances, which are reflected in the latest SACA MVP Proteas rankings. The rankings, which account for player performance, match impact, and contextual factors, provide a comprehensive overview of the team’s most valuable players.

Heinrich Klaasen’s consistent form in the ODI format has propelled him up the Proteas SACA MVP rankings. He amassed 87.11 MVP points in six matches to take the top spot in the format rankings. His performances, particularly in the home series against Pakistan and the tri-series in Pakistan, served as a catalyst for his rapid ascent. Notably, Klaasen recorded his fifth consecutive 50-plus score in ODIs during the crucial match against England in the ICC Champions Trophy, demonstrating his consistency and match-winning capabilities.

Marco Jansen has commenced 2025 with a bang, seizing the top spot in the overall MVP rankings. He dethroned Tristan Stubbs, who had held the position for a significant portion of 2024. Jansen’s all-around contributions and consistent high performance in challenging situations solidified his position as the leader of the SACA Proteas MVP Overall rankings.

The SACA Most Valuable Player Rankings offers a more nuanced approach to evaluating player performance. By leveraging CricViz’s extensive database, the algorithm considers factors such as expected performance, match-defining contributions, and venue-specific historical data in each match. This comprehensive analysis goes beyond traditional batting and bowling averages, more accurately reflecting a player’s impact on the game.

Proteas Men SACA MVP Rankings as of 6 March 2025:

Overall Rankings

ODI Rankings

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Jansen’s Return Propels Him to Proteas T20 MVP

Marco Jansen wraps up an eventful India Series at the top of the Proteas Men T20 rankings. The lanky all-rounder, who started the series in 8th position, delivered a series of consistent performances that saw him climb up to the number one spot in the T20 rankings.

The Proteas SACA MVP uses the CricViz Match Impact model to measure player performance across batting, bowling, and fielding on a single scale—measured in runs conceded, made, and stopped. By quantifying player impact in runs, the SACA MVP provides a nuanced understanding of a player’s performance.

Jansen’s contribution with both bat and ball has been instrumental in his rapid ascent. His blistering 54-run knock off just 17 balls and taking top-order wickets on two occasions.

This, coupled with his four crucial catches, Jansen has proven himself to be a valuable player in the shortest format.

Jansen topped the T20 rankings with 163.63 MVP points, 21.94 points ahead of Proteas SACA Overall MVP leader Tristan Stubbs (141,688 points) and wicket-keeper Heinrich Klaasen (112.769 points).

The SACA Most Valuable Player Rankings take into account expected performance on every ball according to CricViz’s extensive database. Ahead of every ball, the system produces an estimated final total, and the players are graded according to whether their actions on the following ball have increased or decreased the expected total. Match context is also taken into consideration by recognising the impact different phrases and match situations produce varying expected outcomes.

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VAN DER DUSSEN IN FOR ODI DEBUT

Bizhub Highveld Lions batsman Rassie van der Dussen is in line for his ODI debut and seamer World Sports Betting Cape Cobras Dane Paterson has been recalled to South Africa’s 14-man squad for the first two ODIs against Pakistan to be played later this month. Van der Dussen scored a match-winning fifty on his T20I debut against Zimbabwe last year, but missed out on selection for South Africa’s limited-overs trip to Australia in November, while Paterson has not played for the Proteas in this format since his debut series against Bangladesh in 2017.

Hashim Amla, who missed the most recent series in Australia while he was recovering from a finger injury, also returns to the squad but JP Duminy and Lungi Ngidi were not considered as their rehabilitation to full fitness continues.

“We need to look at all the options available to us as we get closer to selecting our final squad for this year’s World Cup,” national selector Linda Zondi said. “Rassie and Dane are two players who have been knocking strongly on the door in all formats.”

After his bright T20I debut, van der Dussen continued to make headlines during the inaugural Mzansi Super League, during which he topped the run charts with 469 runs at a strike rate of 138.75 and played a vital role in Jozi Stars’ title-winning campaign. Paterson has also been there and thereabouts for a while, having played in the T20Is against Zimbabwe and been included as injury cover in the Test squad against Pakistan.

“Those players who went to Australia and have not been selected for the first two matches – Farhaan Behardien, Aiden Markram and Chris Morris – are by no means out of the picture and they may well get further opportunities in the second half of the series,” Zondi said.

“We are very happy with the way in which our Vision 2019 is taking shape. The series against Pakistan could not have come at a better time as they will provide a very stern test for the Proteas under conditions very similar to what we will experience at the World Cup.”

South Africa ODI squad: Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Imran Tahir, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Dane Paterson, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Rassie van der Dussen

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ABBOTT SPEARHEADS THE HEAT TO THEIR FIRST VICTORY

Kyle Abbott bowled the Durban Heat to their opening Mzansi Super League victory after the rain intervened at Kingsmead on Wednesday afternoon.

Abbott claimed 4/27 to restrict the Tshwane Spartans 139/9, with the visitors only batting 19 overs due to weather disruptions. The Heat’s batsmen managed to get up to 129/6 after 16.3 overs before the heavens opened once more, forcing the players off for the final time.

That was enough to take the points with the Heat ahead of the Duckworth Lewis par-score of 120, thereby handing the home team victory by 10 runs.

It certainly was a day for the bowlers with only Tshwane Spartans opening batsman Gihahn Cloete striking the ball with any form of fluency. Cloete soared to the top of the Mzansi Super League run-scoring charts with 55 off 43 balls (7×4).

Unfortunately for the Spartans, Cloete did not have a partner to sustain the momentum. Only Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikander Raza managed 20 off 20 balls before Abbott cleaned up the Tshwane middle-order.

Even AB de Villiers failed for the first time in this tournament with the former Standard Bank Proteas captain being trapped LBW by Keshav Maharaj while attempting a reverse-sweep.

The Heat run-chase never quite raced out of the blocks with solid contributions from Hashim Amla (24), Morne van Wyk (22), Heinrich Klaasen (21) keeping the home team up with the required run-rate before a rapid 50-run partnership between Khaya Zondo (25 off 11 balls) and Albie Morkel (26 off 12 balls) for the fifth-wicket raised the tempo of the innings.

Lutho Sipamla tried valiantly for the Spartans with 3/22, but it was not enough to deny the Heat their first victory of the competition.

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MZANSI SUPER LEAGUE ANNOUNCES FINALISED T20 SQUADS

The inaugural Mzansi Super League (MSL) T20 Player Draft was held today at Montecasino in Johannesburg today.

Each team had already been allocated a Marquee Standard Bank Protea player. Today the teams made their picks from the six International Marquee Players and then filled the remaining 14 places in each squad from the foreign and South African players who had applied to enter the draft.

In the mini-round to select the International Marquee Players, the Durban heat had first call and went for Rashid Khan of Afghanistan, the No. 1 ranked bowler in the current ICC T20 rankings. They were followed by the Jozi Stars who went for Chris Gayle of the Windies. Paarl Rocks followed with another Windies player, Dwayne Bravo. Cape Town Blitz then took Dawid Malan of England followed by Tshwane Spartans with England white ball captain Eoin Morgan and Nelson Mandela Bay Giants with England opening batsman Jason Roy.

In round one proper, the Giants led off with Chris Morris, followed by the Spartans with Lungi Ngidi, the Blitz with Andile Phehlukwayo, the Rocks with Tabraiz Shamsi, the Stars with Kolpak star Dane Vilas and the Heat with David Miller.

Lutho Sipamla became the first rookie to be chosen in Round Eight by the Spartans and they followed with another rookie in Tony de Zorzi in Round Nine. Other rookies signed were Sinethemba Qeshile for the Stars, Dyllan Matthews for the Giants, Okuhle Cele for the Heat, Eathan Bosch for the Rocks, and Kyle Verreynne for the Blitz.

The resulting teams are a unique blend of both local youth and international experience which is sure to make for some very exciting cricket.

The Draft order was predetermined by a weighted Player Matrix system. The players who are eligible for the main Draft are those who entered into a binding agreement to enter the Draft.

FINAL SQUADS

(in order of Protea Marquee Player, International Marquee Player, and then the 14 draft rounds, making a total of 16 players per squad)

CAPE TOWN BLITZ: Quinton de Kock, Dawid Malan (England), Andile Phehlukwayo, Dale Steyn, Samuel Badree (Windies), Asif Ali (Pakistan), Farhaan Behardien, Anrich Nortje, Janneman Malan, Malusi Siboto, George Linde, Ferisco Adams, Jason Smith, Sibonelo Makhanya, Kyle Verreynne (rookie), Dane Piedt.

DURBAN HEAT: Hashim Amla, Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Kyle Abbott (kolpak), Keshav Maharaj, Khaya Zondo, Albie Morkel, Marchant de Lange (kolpak), Vernon Philander, Brandon Mavuta (Zimbabwe), Temba Bavuma, Morne van Wyk, Okuhle Cele (rookie), Sarel Erwee, Tladi Bokako.

JOZI STARS: Kagiso Rabada, Chris Gayle (Windies), Dane Vilas, Rassie van der Dussen, Daniel Christian (Australia), Beuran Hendricks, Reeza Hendricks, Dwaine Pretorius, Eddie Leie, Pite van Biljon, Duanne Olivier, Ryan Rickelton, Sinethemba Qeshile (rookie), Simon Harmer, Calvin Savage, Alfred Mothoa.

NELSON MANDELA BAY GIANTS: Imran Tahir, Jason Roy (England), Chris Morris, Jon-Jon Smuts, Junior Dala, Christiaan Jonker, Aaron Phangiso, Ben Duckett (England), Sisanda Magala, Ryan McLaren, Heino Kuhn, Marco Marais, Dyllan Matthews (rookie), Lizaad Williams, Rudi Second, Carmi le Roux.

PAARL ROCKS: Faf du Plessis, Dwayne Bravo (Windies), Tabraiz Shamsi, Dane Paterson, Aiden Markram, Mangaliso Mosehle, Bjorn Fortuin, Vaughn van Jaarsveld, Grant Thomson, Paul Stirling (Ireland), Tshepo Moreki, Henry Davids, Cameron Delport , Eathan Bosch (rookie), Patrick Kruger, Kerwin Mungroo.

TSHWANE SPARTANS: AB de Villiers, Eoin Morgan (England), Lungi Ngidi, Robbie Frylinck, Jeewan Mendis (Sri Lanka), Theunis de Bruyn, Rory Kleinveldt, Sean Williams (Zimbabwe), Gihahn Cloete, Lutho Sipamla (rookie), Tony de Zorzi (rookie), Dean Elgar, Andrew Birch, Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe), Shaun von Berg, Eldred Hawken.

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MARKRAM TO LEAD SA INVITATION XI AGAINST BANGLADESH

Multiply Titans  Aiden Markram will lead the South Africa Invitation XI to play Bangladesh in a three-day tour match at Sahara Park Willowmoore from 21 – 23 September 2017.

“We have chosen a squad consisting largely of CSA Academy players balanced by a few franchise players to provide the necessary experience,” commented CSA National Selection Panel Convener Linda Zondi.

SA Invitation XI squad: Aiden Markram (Multiply Titans, capt), Tladi Bokako (Warriors), Okuhle Cele (KZN), Matthew Christensen (EP), Michael Cohen (WP), Isaac Dikgale (North West), Zubayr Hamza (WSB Cape Cobras), Heinrich Klaasen (Multiply Titans), Migael Pretorius (Northerns), Yaseen Valli (Gauteng), Shaun von Berg (Multiply Titans), Lwandiswa Zuma (Hollywoodbets Dolphins)

Management team: Russell Domingo (head coach), Richard das Neves (assistant coach), Molebatsi Teletsane (physiotherapist), Nandile Tyali (fitness trainer), Abram Ndhlovu (video analyst)

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MULTIPLY TITANS WIN MOMENTUM ONE DAY CUP

Centuries from Multiply Titans’ openers Aiden Markram and Henry Davids handed Titans a 236 run victory over the Warriors in the final of the Momentum One Day Cup at SuperSport Park,  Centurion. A record opening stand of 212 propelled Titans to 425 for 5 – the highest total in the history of South African franchise cricket – before Warriors were bowled out in 31 overs.

Having elected to bat, Titans raced to 100 in 16.2 overs, as Markram picked up eight fours and two sixes to bring up his century off 96 balls. In the next 27 deliveries he faced, the 22-year-old cleared the boundary five more times and hit three more fours to bring up his second-highest score in the tournament (161), after his 183 against Lions in Johannesburg. Davids, who finished the competition as the leading run-scorer with 673 runs at 84.12, joined in the run-fest with a fluent 98-ball 114 – studded with 13 fours and four sixes – in what was his third century and sixth 50-plus knock in eight innings.

Once Warriors captain JJ Smuts broke the stand with Davids’ dismissal in the 30th over, wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen sustained the onslaught with a 50-ball 60, before Chris Morris plundered six sixes and a four to inflict a final burst with an unbeaten 47 off only 12 balls. Heino Kuhn and Morris added 52 for the sixth wicket in the final 2.2 overs, helping Titans post a total in excess of 400 for the third time this season.

Of the eight bowlers used by Warriors, Smuts was the only one to leak less than seven runs an over. Anrich Nortje took the bulk of the beating, conceding 62 in six overs despite having picked up two wickets.

The fate of Warriors’ massive chase depended heavily on strong starts from openers Smuts and Gihahn Cloete – the side’s top two scorers in the tournament. But an early strike from Morris (2 for 41) set them back, as he bowled Cloete (3) in the second over of the innings. Lungi Ngidi’s subsequent double-strike off successive overs accounted for Colin Ingram (1) and Smuts (13), reducing the opposition to 22 for 3 in the fifth over. While Warriors failed to recover thereon, only Jerry Nqolo (40) offered any resistance before falling to Markram (1 for 7), who was named the Player of the Match. Junior Dala further dented Warriors’ chances with two wickets, taking his tournament tally to 16. 

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HARMER PUTS WARRIORS IN SIGHT OF VICTORY

 

 

Simon Harmer led a clinical bowling performance by the Warriors with his four wickets to put his team on course for victory against reigning Sunfoil Series champions the Multiply Titans at St George’s Park in East London on Thursday.

The home captain took 4/63 as the visitors were bowled out for 235 shortly before stumps, leaving them a victory target of just 105, which was down to 86 by the close after the hosts reached 19/0 in the two overs they faced.

Heinrich Klaasen was the key contributor for the visitors with an unbeaten 97 (146 balls, 10 fours, 2 sixes) – the Titans wicket-keeper rescuing his team from complete annihilation after they slipped to 108/8 at one stage.  But he found a willing partner in Morne Morkel, with the Proteas’ fast bowler, in the team to get some much-needed game-time ahead of South Africa’s tour of Australia, contributing 36 in a 100-run ninth-wicket stand.

Harmer’s wickets came in the middle and lower order after the top-order was damaged by Basheer Walters (2/46) and Andrew Birch (2/56).

Earlier in the day, two Morkel wickets helped clean up the Warriors’ tail as he ended with 3/54.

 

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VANDIAR, SIBOTO NEW ARRIVALS AT TITANS

Malusi Siboto and Jonathan Vandiar will wear the colours of The Unlimited Titans in the 2016/17 season.

The pair join from the VKB Knights and Sunfoil Dolphins respectively, while Daniel Sincuba also switches from KwaZulu-Natal to the Easterns Titans franchise.

Seam bowler Siboto, 28, has grown in leaps and bounds since his Knights debut in the 2011/12 season.

Despite a lengthy injury lay-off, the right-armer was a key part of the team for the Central Franchise last season. Siboto has over 150 first-class wickets and more than 100 in the limited-over formats. He will be joined by two former Dolphins players at the Titans.

One is batsman Jonathan Vandiar, who previously played in Gauteng with the bizhub Highveld Lions. The 26-year-old spent a few seasons at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead, but failed to stake a regular place in the team.

Sincuba, also a batsman, is a franchise cricket rookie having played seven matches for the Dolphins since his debut in 2014/15.

The Titans also boast the most number of nationally contracted player with six in total. They are Test and One-Day international captain AB De Villiers, T20 skipper Faf Du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Farhaan Behardien, Morne Morkel and Quinton De Kock.

Titans squad: Qaasim Adams, Junior Dala, Henry Davids, Morne Morkel, Heinrich Klaasen, Heino Kuhn, Farhaan Behardien, Aiden Markram, Dean Elgar, Grant Mokoena, Albie Morkel, Chris Morris, Lungi Ngidi, AB de Villiers, Tabraiz Shamzi, Malusi Siboto, Daniel Sincuba, Grant Thomson, Shaun von Berg, David Weise, Quinton de Kock, Rowan Richards, Jonathan Vandiar, Faf du Plessis.

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