With just more than a week left in the SA20, the bowler is becoming one of the tournament’s most impactful players
27 January 2025 - 19:28
bySTUART HESS
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Lutho Sipamla says despite a spate of injuries to their squad, the Joburg Super Kings are finding ways to cope and thrive because of clear messaging from the coaching staff. Picture: SA20/SPORTZPICS
Lutho Sipamla wasn’t even supposed to be in this year’s SA20 competition, but with just more than a week left in it, he’s becoming one of the tournament’s most impactful players.
Sipamla starred for the Joburg Super Kings in their nine-wicket victory against defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape at the Wanderers on Sunday, picking up 3/13.
“I’m trying to be as consistent as I can with my process. Whether it comes off in terms of outcomes, I’m not really bothered by that,” said Sipamla, who was player of the match after an explosive performance that saw him rock the Sunrisers in the first over with a double wicket maiden.
The Super Kings have desperately needed Sipamla’s impact after their squad was decimated by injuries this season. That all of them have been to fast bowlers, and all local ones, has left skipper Faf du Plessis and head coach Stephen Fleming needing to make tricky calls to get the balance of the starting team correct.
After losing Lizaad Williams and Nandré Burger before the tournament started, the Super Kings also lost the services of Gerald Coetzee because of a groin injury after he had only bowled three overs in the one match he played.
Fleming spoke last week about bowlers also needing to learn on the run, with matches coming thick and fast, but he was hopeful a return to the Wanderers, where Sipamla and Hardus Viljoen have had success in the past, might prove the catalyst for the franchise.
Viljoen, who used to play for the Lions and made his Test debut at the Bullring, picked up 4/24 on Sunday as the Sunrisers were bowled out for 118 in 19 overs.
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Lutho Sipamla makes up for those no balls during the week 🤯
Sipamla praised the coaching staff and Du Plessis for keeping the players focused on what’s in front of them rather than fretting about the absence of the fast-bowling trio.
“Looking at it from the outside, you might think it’s chaotic [because of all the injuries], but the nice thing is the coaches have stayed calm. They are clear about what they want to get through to us individually and holistically as a bowling unit,” said Sipamla.
The 26-year-old is quietly having an excellent season. After earning the player of the match award in the T20 Challenge final when he picked up 4/12 against the Titans, he’s also taken 16 wickets in three four-day matches for the Lions and earned a recall to the Proteas during the T20 series with India.
Meanwhile, the Sunrisers are left wondering what to do about their batting as the competition heads into its most critical phase. In three of their eight matches they’ve lost three or more wickets before reaching 30, and big-name opener Zak Crawley is increasingly looking like a liability.
“We’ve struggled with our batting in the power play,” Sunrisers head coach Adrian Birrell acknowledged.
“We’ve been able to get scores on the board, even after a poor start, but [on Sunday] we battled to get back in the game after a poor start.”
Having slumped to 17/4 because of Sipamla’s early burst, Birrell said they struggled with piecing together the rest of the innings, not knowing whether to attack or wait until the latter stages with their remaining wickets in hand. In the end they achieved neither.
Crawley’s spot will be under scrutiny. The England opener has made 88 runs in the tournament in eight innings, and on Sunday was dismissed first ball, registering his fifth single-digit score this season.
“I feel for him. He’s a really good player, he’s working hard, we’ve backed him until now — but it’s just not happening for him at the moment. I don’t know, we will have to look at it and come up with a plan for the next game.”
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
The rise of Lutho Sipamla
With just more than a week left in the SA20, the bowler is becoming one of the tournament’s most impactful players
Lutho Sipamla wasn’t even supposed to be in this year’s SA20 competition, but with just more than a week left in it, he’s becoming one of the tournament’s most impactful players.
Sipamla starred for the Joburg Super Kings in their nine-wicket victory against defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape at the Wanderers on Sunday, picking up 3/13.
“I’m trying to be as consistent as I can with my process. Whether it comes off in terms of outcomes, I’m not really bothered by that,” said Sipamla, who was player of the match after an explosive performance that saw him rock the Sunrisers in the first over with a double wicket maiden.
The Super Kings have desperately needed Sipamla’s impact after their squad was decimated by injuries this season. That all of them have been to fast bowlers, and all local ones, has left skipper Faf du Plessis and head coach Stephen Fleming needing to make tricky calls to get the balance of the starting team correct.
After losing Lizaad Williams and Nandré Burger before the tournament started, the Super Kings also lost the services of Gerald Coetzee because of a groin injury after he had only bowled three overs in the one match he played.
Fleming spoke last week about bowlers also needing to learn on the run, with matches coming thick and fast, but he was hopeful a return to the Wanderers, where Sipamla and Hardus Viljoen have had success in the past, might prove the catalyst for the franchise.
Viljoen, who used to play for the Lions and made his Test debut at the Bullring, picked up 4/24 on Sunday as the Sunrisers were bowled out for 118 in 19 overs.
Sipamla praised the coaching staff and Du Plessis for keeping the players focused on what’s in front of them rather than fretting about the absence of the fast-bowling trio.
“Looking at it from the outside, you might think it’s chaotic [because of all the injuries], but the nice thing is the coaches have stayed calm. They are clear about what they want to get through to us individually and holistically as a bowling unit,” said Sipamla.
The 26-year-old is quietly having an excellent season. After earning the player of the match award in the T20 Challenge final when he picked up 4/12 against the Titans, he’s also taken 16 wickets in three four-day matches for the Lions and earned a recall to the Proteas during the T20 series with India.
Meanwhile, the Sunrisers are left wondering what to do about their batting as the competition heads into its most critical phase. In three of their eight matches they’ve lost three or more wickets before reaching 30, and big-name opener Zak Crawley is increasingly looking like a liability.
“We’ve struggled with our batting in the power play,” Sunrisers head coach Adrian Birrell acknowledged.
“We’ve been able to get scores on the board, even after a poor start, but [on Sunday] we battled to get back in the game after a poor start.”
Having slumped to 17/4 because of Sipamla’s early burst, Birrell said they struggled with piecing together the rest of the innings, not knowing whether to attack or wait until the latter stages with their remaining wickets in hand. In the end they achieved neither.
Crawley’s spot will be under scrutiny. The England opener has made 88 runs in the tournament in eight innings, and on Sunday was dismissed first ball, registering his fifth single-digit score this season.
“I feel for him. He’s a really good player, he’s working hard, we’ve backed him until now — but it’s just not happening for him at the moment. I don’t know, we will have to look at it and come up with a plan for the next game.”
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