Johannesburg - It’s appropriate that a domestic season that is set to be dominated by T20 cricket, kicks off the 2022-23 season with that particular format, with Cricket South Africa doing all it can to draw attention to the T20 Challenge.
The eight Division One teams will spend the next three weeks in Potchefstroom. Over the next few weeks CSA are hoping that with tickets starting from R1, it can attract the local student population to occupy the grass embankments at the North West Oval.
Besides DStv, which will broadcast the competition across its different package ranges, matches will also be shown on channels and streamed on apps in England, India and Australia.
Although the Proteas are away at the T20 World Cup, because of the recent SA20 auction, the T20 Challenge will be of interest to many viewers as they can run the rule over some of the surprising choices made at the auction. Of course for those players who missed out, the next three weeks provide the chance to prove a point and who knows, if there are injuries, perhaps a late call up for the SA20.
The Lions, who had a disappointing tournament at St George’s Park last season, have been bolstered by the inclusion of all-rounders Wiaan Mulder and new acquisition Evan Jones. Those two were among the surprising picks at the SA20 auction; Mulder going to the Durban Super Giants for R1.9million, while Jones, who made a big impression for Northern Cape in the T20 Knockout competition that kicked off last season, and as a result was signed by the Lions, will play for the Paarl Royals, who bought him for R1.7m.
Lions coach, Wandile Gwavu, said last season’s failure in Gqeberha gave him plenty of food for thought during the off-season, with the need for more firepower, at the centre of some of the union’s winter signings. “We had some good players, but in the two T20 competitions last year, were those players equipped to play that format,” Gwavu said.
“I’m excited with what we’ve brought in with regards to the shorter formats - Cameron Delport, Jones and to have Wiaan Mulder available is big.”
Two of the top 10 most expensive purchases for the SA20, will be in action in Potchefstroom, one of them in the Lions side - Sisanda Magala. The 31-year-old went for R5.4m to the Sunrisers Eastern Cape, and is aware that there will be greater scrutiny of his game in the coming weeks. “You know (the spotlight) is going to be there,” Magala said. “There’s going to be eyes on you, you have to perform and if you don’t do well, there’s going to be this and that. But it's part of the game, you’ve got to take the good with the bad.”
The other expensive purchase is Donovan Ferreira, who took leave from work for the T20 Knockout, did a devastating job finishing innings’s for the Northerns Titans and earned himself R5.5m to be part of the Joburg Super Kings.
Among some of the younger players to look out for, who went in the auction include the Lions’ Mitchell van Buuren and Codi Yusuf, and the North West trio of Duan Jansen, Caleb Saleka and Delano Potgieter.
In fact with that many SA20 purchases on view, Monday’s match between North West and the Lions is shaping up to be a tasty affair.
The first match of the competition will be between Dolphins and Titans.