For all the razzmatazz, influencers, musicians and fireworks, at its core the SA20 is a cricket competition, and league commissioner Graeme Smith is desperate that the pitches used will be conducive to reasonably high scoring.
“There are such quality players, and if the pitches are decent, then the players can show their skills and we can have exciting games,” Smith said on the eve of the tournament.
In a season devoid of Test cricket, the SA20 will be the primary event on the sport’s calendar, with Newlands hosting the opening match on Boxing Day between the defending champions MI Cape Town and Durban Super Giants.
Pitches have been a concern for Cricket South Africa (CSA) over the past decade, with a number of “squares” at venues around the country needing to be relayed. CSA also spent money investigating the option of “drop-in” pitches, but only the Wanderers has dropped a pitch into its centre “square”. That strip is still not ready to be used.
“We’d love to have, over the [course of the] season, [on average] 175-run surfaces. In South Africa, all the venues have different nuances, from how it plays at the coast to how it plays at the Highveld.”
It’s been on the Highveld, and specifically at SuperSport Park in Centurion, where batters have found the most joy. That is no surprise — it is also the case domestically. In the three seasons of the SA20, 12 of the 27 highest totals in the competition have been made at Centurion.
Its smaller playing surface, fast outfield and the altitude mean the ball flies, along with a surface prepared by head groundsman Bryan Bloy that rewards shot-making.
Kyle Verreynne’s tournament high of 116 was made there last season, and in season one Aiden Markram scored a century at what is usually his home ground for Sunrisers Eastern Cape to propel them to the final.
With Dewald Brevis in the Pretoria Capitals ranks this season, SuperSport Park may see some more records broken in season four.
Besides making Brevis a record signing for the tournament during the auction at R16.5m, the Capitals have also made the biggest shake-up with the coaching staff, with former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly taking time away from his director position with the franchise to become head coach.
Former Proteas great Shaun Pollock will put aside the microphone to assist Ganguly, along with the national women’s team’s coach, Mandla Mashimbyi, who is also on the Capitals’ staff.
“He is super invested in the Capitals brand,” Smith said of his one-time rival, who he’s developed a friendship with since their playing days. “He is huge in India.”
“But it’s not only Sourav; [Stephen Fleming] has been here since season one, and our own local coaches, Robbie [Peterson], Lance [Klusener] and Adi Birrell, have been successful. Getting guys such as Sourav and Flem can only benefit the [South African] system.”
Though it is hard to single out a side that is most under pressure in a six-team competition, the Capitals — given Ganguly’s presence, the investment in Brevis and the acquisition of veteran West Indies superstar Andre Russell — will face plenty of scrutiny.
In addition to all the Proteas, this season’s competition has still attracted some big names, including Jos Buttler, Sunil Narine and Kane Williamson (Durban Super Giants), Rashid Khan and Trent Boult (MI Cape Town), and Jonny Bairstow at Sunrisers Eastern Cape.
Besides a Boxing Day start, season four of the SA20 also features matches on Old Year’s Eve and a clash at the Wanderers on New Year’s Day between the Joburg Super Kings and the Super Giants.
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