• CSA awards: Bavuma, Fortuin, De Bruyn?

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    The annual Cricket South Africa awards will take place in Pretoria on Saturday. Several accolades will be handed out, including the T20 Challenge Cricketer of the Season.

    The candidates: Temba Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyn, Bjorn Fortuin, Rassie van der Dussen.

    Somewhat pigeonholed as a four- or five-day cricketer, Bavuma defied presumption with a string of brisk innings during the CSA T20 Challenge. A maiden Twenty20 century in franchise cricket during the final, in which he captained the Lions to the title, was particularly impressive.

    Another batsman occasionally boxed outside of T20 cricket, De Bruyn was the tournament’s joint-highest run-scorer alongside fellow nominee Van der Dussen. De Bruyn relished a return from the Knigths to the Titans – and his 348 runs came in two fewer innings than Van der Dussen’s identical tally.

    The tournament featured just one spinner among the top six wicket-takers, with Fortuin right at the top. He beat bigger names like Vernon Philander and Junior Dala to the mantle with 15 wickets in 10 matches, including four in the final as an opening bowler. If not Aaron Phangiso, the Lions’ Fortuin is the leading left-arm spinner in South African franchise cricket.

    South African cricket finally woke to the value of Van der Dussen this season. Joint-leading run-scorer with De Bruyn, the Lions star struck the most sixes in the tournament – 17. The season included T20I and ODI debuts for the 30-year-old and hopefully Test inclusion will follow later this year.

    Prediction: Temba Bavuma

    Other nominees

    • Africa T20 Cup Player of the Tournament: Nandre Burger, Delano Potgieter, Marcos Marais.
    • Domestic Newcomer of the Season: David Bedingham, Janneman Malan, Sinethemba Qeshile, Lutho Sipamla.
    • One-Day Cup Cricketer of the Season: Junior Dala, Aiden Markram, Kyle Verreynne.
    • T20 Challenge Cricketer of the Season: Temba Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyn, Bjorn Fortuin, Rassie van der Dussen.
    • Four-Day Franchise Series Cricketer of the Season: Pieter Malan, Edward Moore, Keegan Petersen, Dane Piedt, Nicky van den Bergh.
    • T20 International Cricketer of the Year: Reeza Hendricks, David Miller, Andile Phehlukwayo, Rassie van der Dussen.
    • ODI Cricketer of the Year: Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Rassie van der Dussen.
    • Test Cricketer of the Year: Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Dale Steyn.
    • Cricketer of the Year: Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, Kagiso Rabada.
    • Delivery of the Year: Keshav Maharaj, Andile Phehlukwayo, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada.
    • Women’s T20 International Cricketer of the Year: Shabnim Ismail, Marizanne Kapp, Dane van Niekerk.
    • Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year: Marizanne Kapp, Lizelle Lee, Dane van Niekerk, Laura Wolvaardt.
    • Women’s Players’ Player of the Year: Marizanne Kapp, Lizelle Lee, Dane van Niekerk.
    • Women’s Cricketer of the Year: Marizanne Kapp, Lizelle Lee, Dane van Niekerk.

    Photo: Gallo Images

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