Sunrisers Eastern Cape will enter the third season of the SA20 bidding to become champions for the third time in a row. They lifted the trophy aloft in the maiden season, beating Pretoria Capitals, and the second season, getting the better of Durban’s Super Giants, and have bolstered their squad for yet another charge.
Led by Aiden Markram, Sunrisers Eastern Cape will get the season underway when they play MI Cape Town on 9 January at St. George’s Park.
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The new beginnings
South Africa Test batter David Bedingham will serve as wildcard, after making his international debut in December 2023. When the SA20 rolled around the last time, he chose to be part of a weakened side to tour New Zealand.
From starting his career with a half-century, the 30-year-old has become a first-choice in the Test side. This will be his maiden bow in the SA20, in its current avatar, having also played the now-defunct T20 league in 2018.
England Test opener Zak Crawley, playing the SA20 for the first time as well, has the objective of proving the ‘Bazball’ approach works in white-ball cricket too. With 53 Test matches under his belt, he’s yet to play in the shortest format for England.
Crawley has had previous T20 stints with Hobart Hurricanes and Perth Scorchers in the BBL, Kent in the T20 Blast and London Spirit in the Hundred. In 76 T20 matches he’s produced 1771 runs, including a ton and eight fifties, at a strike rate of 134.77.
“I’ve always wanted to be a good white-ball player,” Crawley said. “I’m trying to add a few other shots to my game, but I feel like it’s quite suited [to me] and I’ve gone well in T20 cricket in the past when I’ve had a run at it. I’m trying to add a bit more power to my game, I’m working hard in the nets trying a few different things to hopefully hit more and bigger sixes.”
Crawley will have a familiar face in his midst in the form of seam-bowling all-rounder Craig Overton. The out-of-favour England bowler has played bulk of his T20 cricket at home for Southern Brave and Somerset. His one, and only, appearance in a foreign league came for the MI Emirates in ILT20 during the 2022/23 season.
Overton was due to play the SA20 last season but was forced out with injury.
Auction activity
During the auction, Sunrisers Eastern Cape made their biggest move for England seamer Richard Gleeson for R2.3 million. Gleeson has SA20 experience, having played for Durban’s Super Giants last season.
Gleeson, 37, was among the very few seamers available in the auction who could clock 140kmph. He has the yorker and bouncer in his repertoire and could complement Overton well. He emerged as the joint-highest wicket-taker in the Zim Afro T10 with 12 strikes in eight matches.
But arguably their biggest move was in bringing back Roelof van der Merwe, who was with the franchise in the first season. The left-arm spinning allrounder was the joint leading wicket-taker that season with 20 scalps at an economy of 5.62. He was decisive in the final, where he claimed 4/31 against the Pretoria Capitals, to bag the Player of the Match award. He also holds the best figures in SA20 history – 6/20 against Durban’s Super Giants.
The team also spent R175,000 on local fast bowler Okuhle Cele, who will play his first SA20. He was the leading wicket-taker for Dolphins in CSA T20 Challenge, taking 17 wickets in 14 games at an economy rate of 8.14.
At the auction, Sunrisers Eastern Cape also signed promising youngster Daniel Smith as a rookie.
Sunrisers Eastern Cape squad
Aiden Markram, Zak Crawley, Roelof van der Merwe, Liam Dawson, Ottneil Baartman, Marco Jansen, Beyers Swanepoel, Caleb Seleka, Tristan Stubbs, Jordan Hermann, Patrick Kruger, Craig Overton, Tom Abell, Simon Harmer, Andile Simelane, David Bedingham, Okuhle Cele, Richard Gleeson, Daniel Smith (rookie)
Sunrisers Eastern Cape SA20 record
2023: Champions
2024: Champions
