NEIL MANTHORP: Future stars get chance to shine in Cricket SA T20 Challenge

SA’s professional men’s cricketers deserve some congratulations just for completing the qualifying rounds of one of the world’s longest domestic T20 tournaments.

Played without a sponsor on a shoestring budget in front of no more than a few friends, some family and a handful of security guards who weren’t needed but were grateful for their daily fee, there were no doubt times when the players felt unloved and even irrelevant. But that wasn’t the case.

Certainly not for those who reached the semifinals after 14 matches. The Lions will host the Titans at the Wanderers on Wednesday while the Dolphins will entertain the Warriors at Kingsmead on Thursday. It is proof enough that the best-run provincial teams will rise to the top after such a prolonged tournament.

On one level, the rationale for playing the tournament in March and April made sense: play as much T20 cricket as possible before the World Cup in June so that players would be in tune with the format and those pushing for selection might take advantage of the window afforded them.

Was it realistic? Did it put “national priority” over commercial pragmatism?

“Having the guys playing is a win in itself,” said national white-ball coach Rob Walter who admits few places are up for grabs in his T20 World Cup squad.  “There’s a significant number of guys in the IPL, some playing and some not. But there are also some guys who will be part of the World Cup squad who are in SA so for them to be playing competitively is a big help.”

But how much value does he place on performances in the domestic competition?

“It’s not as competitive as the SA20 but it’s still better to have them playing than doing nothing for two months. The standard can be discussed, but they’ve still got to go out there and perform. If the standard is lower, the performances of the top players need to stand out, they need to show that they are the best,” Walter said.

Just as the best-managed teams have risen to the top, there are also familiar names at the top of the runs and wickets columns. Matthew Breetzke (429), Ryan Rickelton (385) and Reeza Hendricks (365) are among the top-five run scorers but so too are Rubin Hermann (436) and Rivaldo Moonsamy (404). Herman (145) and Rickelton (144) are also second and third, respectively, on the “strike rate” list, behind Bryce Parsons who has scored 284 runs at an impressive 151.

Beyers Swanepoel, one of SA’s most exciting bowling all-rounders, has taken 20 wickets in just 11 matches, one ahead of left arm spinner Siya Simetu who has played all 14 matches.

Another left-arm spinner, Bjorn Fortuin, has taken 16 wickets for the Lions and is second on the “economy” list conceding just 5.78 runs per over. Simetu tops the list at 5.77 but, at the age of 32, perhaps his international chances are gone. Or are they?

“There is, potentially, some influence on the World Cup squad, here and there, but we also have three-matches in the West Indies before the World Cup. That squad will look a little different [to the World Cup squad] based on the availability of the IPL players, so the Cricket SA T20 Challenge has been important in that regard,” Walter said.

Walter is with his family in New Zealand but thanks to live-streaming and a well-practised ability to function on very little sleep when necessary, he’s spent hours alone in his study in the dead of night.

“I’ve been watching the competition from start to finish and it’s been important for me to see the young players that will form the next generation, to see them delivering performances and winning games. We have a dual focus of getting ready for a World Cup but also building our player base for the future,” Walter said.

“I’m wearing my coach’s hat, so I can’t see any negatives with having the players on the field. It might not be the best time of year for people to go and watch, but I’m pleased to have everyone playing.”

In future years the domestic T20 (hopefully with a sponsor) must be played at the beginning of the season in a shorter, sharper format when young fans are eager and excited about watching cricket again. It cannot hope to survive in the shadow of the SA20 at the back end of the season.

Meanwhile, about a dozen players have done all they can to put their name in lights and catch the attention of Walter, 15,000km away. It may not result in a call-up next month, but at least their name is somewhere near the hat.