• T20 teams, marquee players announced

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    Cricket South Africa has announced the names of the teams to take part in the Mzansi Super League as well as the local and international marquee players.

    The MSL T20 will run from 16 November to 16 December with the 32-match competition fixtures and tickets set to be announced shortly.

    ‘It was a thorough and well-audited process that led to the six winning bids from our Members, as well as the collective contribution from all stakeholders involved that led to the final names and logos which we also had to make sure, met our objectives for this event,’ said Cricket South Africa Chief Executive Thabang Moroe.

    ‘What was clear throughout this definitive process was that these are completely new entities and names that will operate separately from the current franchise teams. We welcome the six new additions to the South African and international cricket family.’

    On Monday, the Draft Matrix was also completed, detailing the steps that will be taken at the highly-anticipated Player Draft that will be held at the Monte Casino Ballroom in Fourways, Johannesburg, this coming Wednesday, 17 October, at 10am.

    The teams heading into this American sports-styled Player Draft will have a pick of:

    Six Proteas players: Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Kagiso Rabada and Imran Tahir.
    Six Marquee players: Eoin Morgan, Jason Roy and Dawid Malan (all England), Chris Gayle and Dwayne Bravo (both the West Indies) and Rashid Khan (Afghanistan).

    ‘We have received applications from over 200 top international players who expressed interest in playing in this inaugural tournament and will have their names in the hat ahead of the Player Draft process on Wednesday,’ Moroe added.

    ‘There were expected challenges in the process, of course, with some players available for a particular period because of other cricket commitment clashes elsewhere, including our Standard Bank Proteas, who also have to fulfil our tour to Australia for an ODI series.’

    The teams: 

    Durban Heat – Kingsmead, Durban

    Jozi Stars – Wanderers, Johannesburg

    Tshwane Spartans – SuperSport Park, Centurion

    Nelson Mandela Bay Giants – St George’s Park, Port Elizabeth

    Cape Town Blitz – Newlands, Cape Town

    Paarl Rocks – Boland Park, Paarl

    ALSO READ: LIVE: MSL draft matrix

    The Proteas marquee players

    Hashim Amla – 139 T20s, 4,121 runs, average 33.23, strike rate 128.82, two 100s and 27 50s.

    Kagiso Rabada – 45 T20s, 55 wickets, average 22.25, economy rate 7.55.

    AB de Villiers – 251 T20s, 6,649 runs, average 35.36, strike rate 147.91, three 100s and 45 50s.

    Imran Tahir – 224 T20s, 272 wickets, average 20.76, economy rate 7.08.

    JP Duminy – 246 T20s, 6,000 runs, average 37.73, strike rate 121.80, 41 50s.

    Faf du Plessis – 180 T20s, 4,063 runs, average 27.45, strike rate 124.67, one 100, 21 50s.

    ALSO READ: De Villiers confirmed as a marquee signing

    The international marquee players are:

    Top-ranked T20 bowler, Rashid Khan of Afghanistan – 131 T20s, 194 wickets, average 15.85, economy rate 6.11.

    The living legend, Chris Gayle – 350 T20s, 11,869 runs, average 40.09, strike rate 147.60, 21 100s, 72 50s.

    All-rounder and entertainer, Dwayne ‘DJ’ Bravo – 410 T20s, 5,984 runs, average 24.72, strike rate 127.18, 20 50s; 447 wickets, average 24.53, economy rate 8.29.

    English star batsman, Jason Roy – 184 T20s, 4,697 runs, average 27.46, strike rate 145.59, four 100s, 30 50s.

    England T20 captain, Eoin Morgan – 259 T20s, 5,507 runs, average 25.85, strike rate 127.89, 28 50s.

    England and Middlesex star, Dawid Malan – 150 T20s, 3,909 runs, average 32.84, strike rate 126.50, two 100s, 23 50s.

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    Simon Lewis