Tag: T20

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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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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…

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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 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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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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SACA Congratulates Britz on Winning Division 2 SACA MVP Rankings

The South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA) would like to congratulate Eastern Storm batter, Christ Britz on winning the inaugural Division 2 Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in the T20 rankings.

Britz’s exceptional performance throughout the CSA T20 Knock-Out Competition was highlighted by two centuries, including an unbeaten 107 against Northern Cape Heat, which propelled him to the top of the MVP rankings. His dominance extended beyond that single innings, as he finished the tournament as the leading run-scorer with a strike rate of 135.98.

The 25-year-old picked up points at an average of 12.712 MVP points, highlighting his consistent performances throughout the competition which earned him a total of 101.694 MVP points, a comfortable lead ahead of all-rounders, Tuskers Sean Gilson (87, 500 MVP points) and Limpopo Impala’s Morne Venter (84.634 MVP points).

The domestic SACA MVP is a unique algorithm developed by SACA and is administered by cricket statistician, Andrew Samson in order to identify the most valuable performers in domestic cricket.

“It’s an incredible feeling to contribute to my team’s success and to be recognized for my efforts. I couldn’t have done it without the support of my teammates. It’s a great milestone for me and for Division 2 to have a SACA MVP” commented Chris Britz.

The formula is designed to recognize players who make a significant contribution to their team’s success throughout the season. Factors such as batting and bowling averages, strike rates, and overall impact on the game are all taken into consideration. The MVP is a combination of statistical performance to determine the most valuable player at the end of the season.

“I would like to congratulate Chris on winning the SACA MVP in the T20 rankings. This achievement reflects his consistent contribution to his team’s success and highlights the hard work and dedication of our cricketers. Cricket is a game of statistics, and we are pleased to introduce the SACA MVP to Division 2″ said Andrew Breetzke, SACA CEO

Division 2 – T20 SACA MVP Rankings
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MOMENTUM PROTEAS SHIFT GEARS TO T20

The Momentum Proteas have shifted gears from the ODI series and are aiming to achieve another series whitewash, this time in the Cricket South Africa Women’s T20s starting in Kimberley on Thursday.

The three-match clash will see the last two fixtures played in Bloemfontein on the 19th and 20th of May.

Head coach Hilton Moreeng has resumed his duties after taking time off following the sudden passing of his father. He is pleased with the progress the team has made in the last two months since they had been together and is impressed with the manner in which they achieved their ODI series success. He said he is looking forward to seeing the same clinical approach from the first match of the T20 series.

Moreeng has identified certain areas that will require improvement if the team want to replicate the success of the ODI series.

“Having looked at the growing trend in the way that T20 cricket around the world is being played, we know that consistency with the bat is going to be very important,” he explained. “We have to look at getting scores that are above 120 in order to be competitive. It’s also important that we also find ways of capitalizing on every little opportunity to score runs during the middle periods of the game which is around where we tend to stagnate. We need to find ways of gaining momentum. That being said, I’m quite happy with how we approach the powerplay.

“The T20 format is a is a strength-levelling format. I’m sure that Bangladesh is going to compete in this format, so fielding is going to be key for us to make sure that we prevent them from taking easy runs and minimize those ones and twos.”

The coach wants to see his charges make full use of the home ground advantage and show their experience of the conditions in Kimberley as they prepare for their ultimate goal, which is to be ready for the ICC Women’s World T20 taking place in the West Indies this November.

“This is our home ground, so the advantage is ours,” he continued. “We’re really just concentrating on ourselves and focussing on what we need to do as a team. At the end of the day, each and every T20 game we play from now is to build towards the World Cup.”

All-rounder and team big-hitter, Chloe Tryon is looking forward to the return of her favourite format.

“The five-nil series win is a big confidence booster for us going into the T20s and the girls are really eager for the change of pace and are hoping to win three-nil,” she commented. “It’s a high-intensity format so the game plans are always simple. We’ve got some really big hitters in the team, myself included. I’m just really looking forward to playing my natural game, which is to be aggressive and help the team reach its goal.”

Proteas T20 squad:

Dané van Niekerk (captain, Eastern Province), Lizelle Lee (North West), Chloe Tryon (KwaZulu-Natal Dolphins), Mignon du Preez (Northerns), Marizanne Kapp (Eastern Province), Shabnim Ismail (Gauteng), Ayabonga Khaka (Gauteng), Masabata Klaas (North West), Raisibe Ntozakhe (Gauteng), Suné Luus (Northerns), Laura Wolvaardt (Western Province), Zintle Mali (Border), Stacey Lackay (Western Province), Tazmin Brits (North West).

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PROTEAS WOMEN PREPARE FOR NZ SERIES

The Momentum Proteas have spent the past this week at the Cricket South Africa Centre of Excellence in Pretoria as they begin final preparations for two big tours against New Zealand and Australia in the coming months.

The 18-women contingent met for a camp that will see a final 15 chosen for the seven-match One-Day International series against New Zealand’s White Ferns beginning on 8 October in Kimberley. The first three matches form part of the ICC Women’s Championship, the qualifying competition for next year’s ICC Women’s World Cup.

The country’s national women’s team are coming off a successful tour of Ireland where they comfortably won a ODI series 3-1 and drew their two-match T20 sequence.

They will boast a full-strength squad when they face New Zealand.

“For us it’s actually been a good week so far,” coach Hilton Moreeng said. “We have a lot of fringe players in the squad, all the players from the KIA League as well as all the players from the Ireland tour where a lot of learning happened (are here).

“I think for us it was important to touch base with each and every player to make sure we sharpen our skills because we’ve got two tough tours coming.”

“As far as the ICC challenge is concerned, we need to make sure we win these tours in order to qualify in the top four.”

The Momentum Proteas are currently fifth in the race for the World Cup, only a point behind New Zealand, which makes their meeting even more important.

Moreeng also reflected on the trip to Ireland.

“It was very encouraging, especially if you see how the youngsters carried themselves in very tough conditions,” he continued. “I don’t think anyone in the team (under normal circumstances) experiences those sort of conditions when it’s wet, rainy and cold, so those sort of conditions took some getting used to. The players were put out of their comfort zone and how they came across and the results we got from some of these players was very good.”

“One of the things that was very positive was how our batters applied themselves on those difficult wickets. It shows with the records that were broken on the tour.

“As a team, I think we are developing and maturing. We’re moving in the right direction and it shows that we’re slowly getting where we want to be as far as the depth is concerned.”

With so many players putting their hand up in the absence of the star names, it has also brought about a selection headache for the selectors.

“We have to look at everything that has transpired in the last two months. I think we had a good winter where all the contracted players and fringe players here, about 18 of them whom we worked with daily in the National Academy over the winter,” Moreeng added.

“The results showed. It’s important to take that going into the New Zealand tour where the first three games are extremely important, but we’ll take it one game at a time.

“It’s always difficult when you’re playing a home series regarding the pressure that you have to deal with, but mentally, I think the girls are in a good place.

“The intensity and work we’ve done this week has been very impressive, so we’re very happy with where the squad is as a whole. We can’t wait to get started.”

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FICA URGES ICC TO DELIVER CLEAR & COMPELLING FUTURE

Following completion of FICA’s annual player survey, and ahead of further discussions at ICC level on the structure of international cricket, the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) today urged the ICC to deliver a clear and compelling future for international cricket, which includes meaningful change to competition structures. FICA is supportive of improving, and adding context to all three formats of international cricket, ensuring a structure that delivers better clarity and balance between the formats, and one that will address the continued decline in popularity of much of international cricket. Cricket needs a new international structure now to allow it to survive and thrive in the future.

“It is clear that there is a ground swell of opinion around the world that the current structure of international cricket is not serving the game globally, and that the status quo is not good enough for the long term future success of cricket” Tony Irish, FICA Executive Chairman said.

“We have been involved in the ongoing discussions on the structure of the game, on behalf of players, and there is no doubt that the game’s stakeholders have a unique opportunity to be bold and to provide a compelling future for the international game. The entire cricket economy, including all professional players, both international and domestic, is highly dependent on international cricket. To ensure its survival the game needs to evolve. It has many strengths and its rich history must be protected, but it is time to significantly move the game forward. That is not an easy task, but thinking globally, and not based on regional or country interests, is a good place to start” Irish continued.

“To date, the issue that has been talked about most is Test cricket, but we believe that this review is about creating clear visions for all three formats of international cricket, and balancing them alongside the continued expansion and success of the various domestic T20 cricket leagues. We know from our player surveys, and our engagement with players, that they are facing a conflict between international cricket and domestic T20 cricket leagues. This is a fundamental issue that we want any future structure of the game to address. Our concern is that if nothing is done, international cricket may very soon lose more and more of its best players to free agency and the T20 leagues.”

“This re-structuring of international cricket should be about providing a better sporting product for fans, players and broadcasters. ICC management has done some excellent work on this, and we strongly encourage Member Boards to look beyond their own individual country interests in taking this forward. We understand that not everyone is in agreement over the divisional Test structure currently proposed, but this should not derail the entire process. We urge the game to thoroughly explore all potential options to create a coherent new structure that adds more context and meaning to all matches. It is time for global, collective thinking.”

World Player Views
• AB de Villiers, South Africa: “We have already raised our intensity and urgency just knowing that a Test league might happen. There is nothing like the pressure and adrenaline that comes with knowing you need to win matches. It’s time for all international matches to have more meaning.”
• Jason Holder, West Indies: “Creating windows (for domestic T20 tournaments) would make the whole situation a lot easier as players would not be forced to choose. If players could play both domestic T20 and international cricket, it would definitely help to keep players in international cricket.”
• Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh: “It would be a great thing for Bangladesh to play more regular international cricket. I have been playing for 10 years and have only played 42 Tests. If I was from India or England I would have had the opportunity to play double that amount.”
• Steve Smith, Australia: ”We want our best players to be on the park as much as possible playing for our countries, and at the moment that isn’t always happening. Players should absolutely have a say in the future of the game. We are the ones out there doing the job, we have a close up view of what’s happening in the game, and it is important we are involved in decision making.”
• Ross Taylor, New Zealand: “We need to find ways of keeping our players. To survive as a cricket nation, we need our top players playing for New Zealand and not retiring early.”

Additional Player Data

FICA has recently conducted its 2016 player survey of 193 current professional players from all seven FICA affiliated countries, including 111 international players. Notable, selected results relevant to the structure of cricket include:
• Despite overwhelmingly indicating that Test cricket is the most important format to play in, more than 52% of all international respondents in the current structure still indicated that they would consider rejecting a national contract in favour of free agency in domestic T20 leagues;
• 70% of all respondents think there should be “ring fenced” windows in the calendar for certain domestic T20 events to prevent clashes with international cricket;
• 75% of all respondents think that closing the wage gap between domestic T20 and international cricket would help to retain players in international cricket;
• 72% of all respondents would support the introduction of a divisional Test competition to add more meaning to each match;
• 75% of all respondents would support the introduction of a Test match final/play off match.

FICA International Cricket Structural Review
FICA released its International Cricket Structural Review earlier this year, in which FICA encouraged the ICC and Member Boards to focus on the following key issues in the ongoing discussions:

1. Global thinking: for the good of the global game;

2. Balancing the three formats better and working together with domestic T20: introducing windows for T20 leagues where possible;

3. International cricket should be “best v best”: players should not be forced to choose between club and country, and scheduling between formats should generally not conflict;

4. All International cricket needs context and it needs to be competitive: new competition structures with context, based on merit, should enable this;

5. Providing clarity in the calendar and fair protections for players: in regulations and contract structures;

6. Retaining talent in the international game by redistributing money more equitably to help close player wage gaps between domestic T20 and international cricket: this does not mean players from top earning countries should be paid less. Players from all countries should be paid fairly

7. Clear pathways for associate countries, based on merit

FICA’s full International Cricket Structural Review can be found at: http://www.thefica.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/L-FICA-International-Cricket-Structural-Review-2016-single-page.pdf

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WISE SIGNS WITH SUSSEX

English county Sussex have announced the signing of South African all-rounder David Wiese for next week’s NatWest T20 Blast matches at The 1st Central County Ground, Hove.

The 31-year-old will be available for Sussex’s first two home matches, against Somerset on Wednesday, June 1 and Surrey on Friday June 3, filling in before the arrival of Bangladeshi left-arm seamer Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League.

The seamer has featured regularly for South Africa’s T20I squad throughout 2015 and was part of South Africa’s 2016 World T20 squad. To date, he has played 20 T20 Internationals and six One-Day Internationals, having taken 33 wickets across the two formats.

His best international figures of five for 23 came against the West Indies in Durban last year.

Wiese, who is currently also in the IPL, playing with fellow Sussex star Chris Jordan for Royal Challengers Bangalore, said of his move to Hove: “I am really excited to be joining Sussex and taking part in the NatWest T20 Blast campaign.

“I have always wanted to play county cricket and from speaking to Chris Jordan here in the IPL and my discussions with Mark Davis I have heard a lot of very good things about the club.”

Sussex’s head coach, Mark Davis, told the county’s official website: “It’s great to have David joining us fresh from the IPL. He is an accomplished cricketer in T20, having played a key role for South Africa in the format.

“He can bowl at any stage of the innings, and is a hard-hitting batsman, which makes him a valuable cricketer and we look forward to him being an asset to us whilst he is here at Hove.”

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PROTEAS WOMEN ICC WOMEN’S WORLD T20 SQUAD ANNOUNCED

Cricket South Africa on Thursday, announced the Momentum Proteas squad that will take part in the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 from 08 March to 03 April 2016 in India.

South Africa will face tough competition in Group A, which includes Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Ireland but coach, Hilton Moreeng is confident of his team’s chances to qualify out of the group stage.

“From a selection point of view and from the preparation we have done in the last two years, we think we have selected the best squad for the conditions that we will be faced with,” he said. “It’s a well-balanced squad with lots of experience and a bit of youth. We’ve given ourselves the best chance to play well and compete, as well as to qualify for the knock out phase.”

Moreeng is fortunate to have a squad that is used to playing in sub-continent conditions. He believes that the ICC Women’s Championship series that the side has been playing in mostly sub-continent conditions has helped them in their preparation for India.

“The fact that our first three series in the Women’s Championship were in the sub-continent has helped us a lot in terms of getting players used to those kinds of conditions and pitches,” he continued. “Eighty percent of the squad going to the World T20 has been exposed to sub-continent conditions, especially India, so there won’t be too many players who will be experiencing the conditions for the first time.”

In the previous World T20 (2014), South Africa knocked New Zealand out of the quarter-finals to qualify for the semi-finals for the first time ever. Moreeng believes that he has a side that can pull off another similar upset.

“Players learn all the time and what better way to learn than from the ones who have done so before. We’ve played some of the top teams in the world of late. We have just finished a series against England and are busy with one against West Indies now. The exposure to top-notch players is invaluable for what we are trying to prepare for. The confidence in the team is much higher now, we all know that on the day in a T20 match anything can happen, one over can swing the game either way so the execution of our skills on the day will be key.”

 

Momentum Proteas World T20 squad:

Mignon du Preez (captain, Northerns), Trisha Chetty (Gauteng), Odine Kirsten (Northerns), Moseline Daniels (Boland), Marizanne Kapp (Eastern Province), Dane van Niekerk (Eastern Province), Dinesha Devnarain (KZN Coastal), Chloe Tryon (KZN Coastal), Sune Luus (Northerns), Shabnim Ismail (Gauteng), Masabatha Klaas (Free State), Ayabonga Khaka (Border), Matshipi Marcia Letsoalo (Northerns), Lizelle Lee (North West), Yolani Fourie (Gauteng).

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