Sunrisers stick with home-grown talent for T20 competition

Double SA20 champions the Sunrisers Eastern Cape have stuck to the theme of acquiring local talent to populate their ranks ahead of the season three auction in Cape Town in October. 

The third instalment of SA’s premier T20 competition, scheduled for January 2025, will see the home side retain the majority of their championship-winning players from last season in addition to some exciting acquisitions. 

Enigmatic skipper Aiden Markram will again lead the Gqeberha side as they vie for an unprecedented hat-trick of titles in the competition. 

Their previous successes have been built largely on the back of veteran coach Adrian Birrell’s belief in the acquisition of home-grown talent, coupled with his vast knowledge of English players on the county cricket circuit.

Their 2024 bowling attack played a huge role in taking them to their second title in as many years. 

They have retained Ottniel Baartman and Marco Jansen, who bowled the Sunrisers to the title, sharing 38 wickets in the competition. 

Add to that the 17 scalps by the now-released Dan Worrall and the exploits of spinners Simon Harmer and Liam Dawson, and it is not difficult to see why they were so successful. 

Having secured the services of England international Zak Crawley and Proteas Test batter David Bedingham (wild card), with the return of Roelof van der Merwe and Craig Overton, Sunrisers have bolstered their ranks considerably

On the batting front, Tristan Stubbs, who assumed much of the wicketkeeping responsibility last season, handsomely repaid his R9.2m price tag as he finished as the side’s top scorer with 301 runs at an average of 27.36. 

Stubbs, who plies his trade for the Dafabet Warriors domestically, is joined on the retention list by teammates Patrick Kruger, Beyers Swanepoel and Jordan Hermann, while Caleb Seleka and last season’s rookie Andile Simelane remain in Nelson Mandela Bay. 

The mercurial Tom Abell and English compatriot Dawson were also retained, while Harmer, who came to St George’s Park in a trade deal with Durban’s Super Giants, will remain with the Orange Army. 

As with all the SA20 teams, they had until August 15 to confirm any other new overseas players but effectively, they left two slots open for the player auction to come later in 2024, where they will also draft a new rookie for next season.

Sunrisers Eastern Cape retentions: Aiden Markram (capt), Ottniel Baartman, Marco Jansen, Tristan Stubbs, Tom Abell (overseas, Eng), Jordan Hermann, Patrick Kruger, Beyers Swanepoel, Simon Harmer, Liam Dawson (overseas, Eng), Caleb Seleka, Andile Simelane.

Pre-signed overseas: Roelof van der Merwe (Ned), Craig Overton (Eng), Zak Crawley (Eng).

Wild card: David Bedingham.