St George’s Park set for epic SA20 opening match as champions take on Super Kings

Sunrisers Eastern Cape are crowned champions during the 2023 SA20 Final between Pretoria Capitals and Sunrisers Eastern Cape held at Wanderers in Johannesburg on 12 February 2023. Photo by Ron Gaunt/Sportzpics/SA20/BackpagePix

By Keanan Hemmonsbey

9 Jan 2024

Despite the backdrop of a weakened Test side travelling to New Zealand, the SA20 has added an exciting element to the cricket calendar in South Africa.

Reigning SA2o champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape take on Joburg Super Kings in the opening match of the season at St George’s Park in Gqeberha on Wednesday, 10 January.

The season starts under the backdrop of the Proteas sending a second-string side to New Zealand at the start of next month due to Cricket South Africa’s commitment to having the country’s best players in its lucrative franchise league.

The SA20, which culminates with a final at Newlands on 10 February, produced thrilling cricket last season and saw big crowds returning to SA cricket stadiums.

Six matches were sold out last season — with 74% of tickets for all games sold — including the final at Wanderers, which Sunrisers clinched by four wickets over Pretoria Capitals.

“The SA20 has breathed life into South African cricket,” Sunrisers Eastern Cape spinner Simon Harmer said on Tuesday. “It’s the first time since I’ve been a professional cricketer seeing the stadiums full.”

A good platform

After impressive stints during the first season of the SA20, MI Cape Town’s Duan Jansen and Joburg Super Kings’ Donovan Ferreira collected Indian Premier League (IPL) contracts last year.

Ferreira went on to make his debut for the national team in T20I cricket.

“It’s brought a platform for our players to have a stepping stone into tournaments like the IPL,” Harmer said.

“If you look at the players that performed well last year, all of a sudden, they were recognised and picked up in the IPL, whereas before that, if you did well in South Africa, you still needed to do well elsewhere in Australia or the Caribbean or wherever to then get picked up in the IPL.

“This has allowed that process to become a lot shorter and put a spotlight on our talent in South Africa.

“I only perceive it as being a good competition for South African players. The amount of money that a domestic player can now earn is massive.

“Seeing how full the stadiums are, how well it’s supported, the South African sporting public are crying out to support South African cricket and this has given them a vessel to do that.”

Nandre Burger is another Super Kings star but played a limited part in last year’s tournament due to a heel injury.

SA20 Roelof van der Merwe of Sunrisers Eastern Cape celebrates after the 2023 SA20 final against Pretoria Capitals at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on 12 February 2023. (Photo: Alet Pretorius / Sportzpics / SA20 / BackpagePix)

He was picked up by the Rajasthan Royals during last month’s IPL auction after an impressive showing in his debut international season for the Proteas.

For the impressive left-arm quick bowler, the St George’s Park crowd is something to look forward to in the season opener.

“The band is incredible in terms of the atmosphere it creates,” Burger said on Tuesday. “In fact, just the atmosphere this entire stadium creates — it is so cool every time you experience it. It’s unreal. I am so excited. The crowd is always buzzing.”

Homecoming

Harmer was at Durban’s Super Giants for a while in season one but found playing time limited with spinners Keshav Maharaj and Prenelan Subrayen also in the squad.

He was traded to Sunrisers in exchange for Jon-Jon Smuts. For the 34-year-old Harmer, it’s a full-circle moment.

“This is where my cricketing journey started as a 19-year-old moving down to Port Elizabeth from Pretoria,” the Proteas spinner said.

“Gqeberha will always have a special place in my heart, playing in front of the band here, the stadium, the people, the Friendly City, very easygoing. [It’s] somewhere that I’ve always enjoyed playing and that I love.

Sunrisers Eastern Cape are crowned champions after the 2023 SA20 final against Pretoria Capitals at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on 12 February 2023. (Photo: Ron Gaunt / Sportzpics / SA20 / BackpagePix)

“Seeing the star above the badge, I want to be a contributor to that… It’s very exciting being the defending champions, but the biggest thing for us is looking to win the trophy this year and not looking to defend our title.”

Harmer plays in the County Championship for Essex during the English summer, having signed in 2017. He’s joined at Sunrisers by his Essex teammate Adam Rossington, who according to Harmer only has praise for the new tournament.

Read more in Daily Maverick: First SA20 is a game changer, reaping riches and pulling in the crowds

“A lot of the overseas players underestimated what it was, and seeing the full stadium, seeing how well it was run…” Harmer said. “A guy like Adam Rossington going back to Essex and saying to the players at Essex what an unbelievable tournament it was…

“South Africa is an amazing country, you can tour around South Africa, play in front of full stadiums.

“If you look at some of the other tournaments around the world, stadiums aren’t necessarily full, it’s more about the commercial value and the people at home watching as well.

“Whereas as a cricketer, you want to be involved in that atmosphere and I think the gees here is second to none.” DM

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A good platform

Homecoming