KAGISO RABADA: 2018 CRICKETER OF THE YEAR
The fact that Dali Mpofu was roped in to salvage Kagiso Rabada's Test series against Australia after an explosive match in Port Elizabeth spoke volumes of the 23-year-old's importance to the national team.
Rabada had not only taken 11 wickets to help Faf du Plessis's team square the series after a first-Test mauling in Durban, but also brushed Australia captain Steven Smith's shoulder after he dismissed him in the first innings. With a rap sheet longer than Jacob Zuma's, he was going to miss the rest of a high-octane series.
The series, which would later detonate in Cape Town in the midst of the ball-tampering scandal that rocked Australia's cricket foundations, had tinder because of the David Warner-Quinton de Kock fiasco in Durban. Rabada had been bowled by Mitchell Starc at Kingsmead when the Australian left-arm paceman had obtained reverse swing. But Rabada out-manoeuvred him from the second Test onwards.
The 23-year-old was the top wicket taker in the series with 23 at 19.26 and made a clean sweep at the Cricket SA awards later. While Rabada was ably assisted by the now-retired Morne Morkel, the evergreen Vernon Philander, new kid on the block Lungi Ngidi and Keshav Maharaj, probably SA's best spinner since 1992, Rabada was the go-to-man, the enforcer, the man who consistently kicked the opposition dog until its owner came out.
Even when SA's batting took an unexpected and fatal leave of absence in Sri Lanka, Rabada bowled with pace, intelligence and unrelenting hostility in alien conditions in Galle and Colombo.
Dale Steyn is closer to the end of his career and in his injury-enforced absence Rabada took up the leadership mantle in the same manner that Steyn did when Shaun Pollock, Andre Nel and Makhaya Ntini ended their careers.
In Ottis Gibson, Rabada is probably working with one of the best fast- bowling coaches in the world and his game should only improve.
Injuries to various teammates will increase his workload but he also had time out this year to nurse a back injury.
Having carried the Proteas against Virat Kohli's rapaciousness and Australia's unbridled arrogance and aggression, he could only carry so much.
Rabada's everything to the Proteas and the team's everything to Rabada.
2018'S OTHER CRICKET STARS:
AIDEN MARKRAM
He scored more than 1,000 runs in his first season of Test cricket and succeeded where the English had failed in the Ashes against Australia's attack.
But second-season blues came early: the testing surfaces in Sri Lanka and a muddled mental approach undid his work in his maiden home summer.
But it shouldn't detract from an imperious home Test season. His coloured-clothing exploits as a young captain were filled with jarring lessons but he's a future captain. The batting opening problem has been solved.
KESHAV MAHARAJ
Since 1992 SA's been crying out for a Test spinner who can defend and attack in equal measure.
Like Cyril Ramaphosa was told to stand up after winning the ANC elective congress last year, Maharaj did the same for the national team. India's skilled batsmen tried and failed to hit him out of the attack at the start of the year.
Australia's unchecked belligerence worked to Maharaj's advantage. When finally gifted with a spicy surface in Sri Lanka, he responded with nine wickets in an innings. That's pretty much what you want from your lead spinner.
LUNGI NGIDI
Morne Morkel's retirement would've sent shockwaves through SA's cricket community in another era.
Ngidi's emergence as a fast bowler of serious repute made sure that didn't happen. He announced himself pretty quickly with a match-winning six-wicket haul on a subcontinent pancake of a pitch at his SuperSport Park home ground to help SA win the series against India.
He's out injured now until sometime next year but it offers him a chance to rest as 2019 will press him into serious service. Big, fast and accurate and possessing a heavy ball, Ngidi was the bat-jarrer to Vernon Philander's parsimony and Rabada's aggression.
REEZA HENDRICKS
SA's limited-overs batting returns have been slim this year. Hendricks though has staked a serious claim and also showed reserves of big- match temperament. He rocked up in Sri Lanka with a maiden ODI 100 of such skill and class, it was like he'd been in the team for years.
He went up a notch in the Mzansi Super League with consecutive 100s that catalysed the Jozi Stars' march to the title on December 16. He admits he's not the finished product nor a Proteas limited-overs shoe-in but he's made all the right 2018 moves.
JUNIOR DALA
He's one of SA's Five Cricketers of the Year in this year's annual, which speaks volumes in regards to his rapid improvement as a limited-overs bowler for the national team.
He wasn't as effective for the Nelson Mandela Bay Giants in the MSL but in the green and gold he plugged holes as best as he could against India's rampant batting.
He's fast despite his relatively short stature but also is a crucial component of SA's limited-overs bowling strategy in the event of absences by the leading fast bowlers.
Expect him to play a leading role in 2019 after a good 2018.
MARAIS ERASMUS
In the 160 international matches Erasmus has officiated in, it's difficult to remember when he had a bad day. In the age of the decision review system that's a significant achievement.
He not only had the honour of being the ICC International Umpire of the Year in consecutive years but his 50th Test as an umpire happened to be at Lord's when he presided over the second match of the five-game series between India and England.
The former Boland medium pacer who took 6/22 against a New Zealand touring side in 1994/95 may not umpire in a Test involving SA but he's a good enough cricketing diplomat.
ROGUES LIST
DAVID WARNER
He needed the law to ensure his foul mouth was washed clean after an incendiary, expletive-laced attack on Quinton de Kock in the first Test of the SA/Australia series in Durban.
The less said about his role in the ball-tampering matter, the better but the game's been better without him.
STEVEN SMITH
The enabler and the abetter of the ball-soiling episode that's pretty much changed the face of Australia's cricket. Superb batsman, yes, but his integrity as a human being will forever be doubted after throwing Cameron Bancroft under the bus in Cape Town. He also stuck by the foul-mouthed Warner, who was in cahoots with him in the ball-tampering saga. Good riddance...