The auction for the inaugural edition of South Africa’s SA 20 League was held on Monday, September 19. A total of 314 players went under the hammer as all six teams were involved in an intense bidding war amongst them. While some players managed to get sold for big bucks, some went unsold. National team captains Temba Bavuma and Dean Elgar were the two big names that didn’t attract buyers.
Tristan Stubbs emerged as the costliest player in the SA 20 League auction, fetching R 9.1 million. The Mumbai franchise player triggered a bidding war as MI Cape Town and JoBurg Super Kings went after the big-hitting 22-year-old. MI Cape Town went upto R 7 million but it was the SunRisers Eastern Cape who eventually bought him.
The star batters of the South African Test team, Dean Elgar and Keegan Petersen found no bidders. In decisions that left several fans shocked, South Africa’s white-ball captain Temba Bavuma, who will lead the team in the 20-20 World Cup in Australia, also went unsold along with all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo.
Former England captain Eoin Morgan and New Zealand all-rounder James Neesham, who recently gave up national contract, were among the ones who went unsold initially but found takers in the accelerated round of the auction. Joburg Super Kings, MI Cape Town, SunRisers Eastern Cape seem to have assembled powerful line-ups with the Super Kings stacking their team with pace to suit the Highveld conditions.
Notably, all six teams were allowed to pick as many as five players in the pre-auction draft for the inaugural edition of the SA 20 league, which will be held in January 2023. All six teams are owned by the franchise owners of Indian T20 League teams.
SA 20 League Auction: COSTLIEST BUYS
Tristan Stubbs – R 9.2 million – SunRisers Eastern Cape
Rilee Rossouw – R 6.9 million – Pretoria Capitals
Marco Jansen – R 6.1 million – SunRisers Eastern Cape
Wayne Parnell – R 5.6 million – Pretoria Capitals
Donavon Ferreira – R 5.5 million – Joburg Super Kings
Sisanda Magala – R 5.4 million – SunRisers Eastern Cape
Heinrich Klassen – R 4.5 million – Durban’s Super Giants
Reeza Hendricks – R 4.5 million – Joburg Super Kings
Tabraiz Shamsi – R 4.3 million – Paarl Royals
Dwaine Pretorius – R 4.1 million – Durban’s Super Giants
FULL SQUADS – SA 20 League
Durban’s Super Giants (Owners: RPSG Sports Private Limited)
Total 17 players, Overseas: 6 players
Batters: Henrich Klaasen, Johnson Charles (West Indies), Matthew Breetzke, Quinton de Kock
All-rounders: Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Keemo Paul (West Indies), Wiaan Mulder, Christian Jonker, Jason Holder (West Indies), Kyle Mayers (West Indies)
Bowlers: Kyle Abbott, Simon Harmer, Junior Dala, Dilshan Madhushanka (Sri Lanka), Reece Topley (England), Penelan Subrayen
Joburg Super Kings (Owners: Chennai Super Kings Limited)
Total 17 players, Overseas: 7 players
Batters: Faf du Plessis, Donavon Ferreira, Janneman Malan, Reeza Hendricks, Harry Brook (England), Kyle Verreynne, Leus Du Plooy
All-rounders: George Garton (England), Lewis Gregory (England), Romario Shepherd (West Indies)
Bowlers: Alzarri Joseph (West Indies), Lizaad Williams, Caleb Seleka, Nandre Burger, Malusi Soboto, Maheesh Theekshana (Sri Lanka), Gerland Coetzee
MI Cape Town (Owners: Reliance Industries Limited)
Total 17 players, Overseas 6 players
Batters: Rassie van der Dussen, Dewald Brevis, Ryan Rickelton, Grant Roelofsen, Webley Marshall
All-rounders: Odean Smith (West Indies), George Linde, Duan Jansen, Delano Potgieter, Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), Liam Livingstone (England), Sam Curran (England)
Bowlers: Beuran Hendricks, Olly Stone (England), Waqar Salamkheil (Afghanistan), Ziyaad Abrahamns, Kagiso Rabada.
Paarl Royals (Owners: Royals Sports Group)
Total: 17 players, Overseas: 5 Players
Batters: Jason Roy (England), Eoin Morgan (England), Dane Vilas, Mithcell Van Buuren, Wihan Lubbe, Jos Buttler (England), David Miller.
All-rounders: Ferisco Adams, Imraan Manack, Codi Yusuf, Even Jones.
Bowlers: Tabraiz Shamsi, Lungi Ngidi, B Jorn Fortuin, Ramon Simmonds (West Indies), Obed McCoy (West Indies), Corbin Bosch.
Pretoria Capitals (Owners: JSW Sports)
Total: 17 players, Overseas: 6 players
Batters: Rilee Rossouw, Phil Salt (England), Kusal Mendis (Sri Lanka), Will Jacks (England), Cameron Delport, Theunis de Bruyn, Marco Marais.
All-rounders: James Neesham (New Zealand), Wayne Parnell, Eathan Bosch, Shane Dadswell
Bowlers: Josh Little (Ireland), Adil Rashid (England), Shaun Von Berg, Daryn Dupavillon, Anrich Nortje, Michael Pretorius.
SunRisers Eastern Cape (Owners: Sun TV Network)
Total: 17 players, Overseas: 7 players
Batters: Tristan Stubbs, Sarel Erwee, Jordan Cox (England), Adam Rossington (England), Marques Ackerman, Aiden Markram.
All-rounders: Marco Jansen, Sisanda Magala, Brydon Carse (England), JJ Smuts, Tom Abell (England), Aya Gqamane, Roeof van der Merwe, James Fuller (England).
Bowlers: Mason Crane (England), Junaid Dawood, Ottneil Baartman
