Brevis, Stubbs lead the charge in SA20 player auction

Rising Under-23 stars, including Dewald Brevis and Tristan Stubbs, are the key attractions for the upcoming SA20 Season 4 player auction, with the auction focusing on young talent across South Africa

Hyderabad: South Africa’s rising Under-23 stars will be in the spotlight at the Season 4 SA20 Player Auction taking place in Johannesburg on 9 September.

For the first time, each of the six franchises will be required to select a minimum of two Under-23 players in their 19-player squads. This is a new player regulation, replacing the Rookie Draft selections from the previous two auctions. The regulation was introduced to give the selected players continuity within their squads, with their contract terms in line with all other auction signings, and at a market value determined at the auction.

---

Under-23 players entering the auction will look to follow in the footsteps of Season 3 Rising Star Dewald Brevis and former rising stars like Marco Jansen, Tristan Stubbs, and Lhuan-dre Pretorius, who have all seized their moment by making a significant impact on the league.

Brevis was one of the standout performers in SA20 Season 3, playing a leading role in MI Cape Town winning their first championship title. The 22-year-old has since carried this form into the international arena, highlighted by his record-breaking 125 not out off just 56 balls in the 2nd T20I against Australia in Darwin.

Jansen was the Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s first purchase at the inaugural auction for USD 347K — the second highest SA20 price ever — back in 2022. Since then, the versatile all-rounder has soared to become the highest all-time wicket-taker in the league, accumulating 47 wickets at an impressive average of 19.38.

Stubbs, another notable success story, was integral to the Sunrisers’ achievements. Acquired for a record-breaking USD 523K, Stubbs has justified this investment by amassing 723 runs at an average of 32.86 with a strike rate of 140.11. He also showcased his versatility by taking on wicket-keeping responsibilities for the past two seasons and has since become an integral part of the Proteas’ teams across all three formats.

Meanwhile, Pretorius, who entered the league as a raw talent, burst onto the scene in Season 3 with a stellar performance, amassing 397 runs at an average of 33.08 and a strike rate of 166.81. The 19-year-old’s aggressive style revealed a maturity beyond his years, hitting 16 sixes and 47 boundaries in just 12 matches, leading to his award as Batter of the Season and a swift promotion to the Proteas setup.

Brevis will headline the list of Under-23 players entering the auction, alongside fellow Proteas Kwena Maphaka and Andile Simelane. Maphaka showcased his development during the Australian T20I series, where he became the youngest bowler from a Full Member country to take a four-wicket haul in the first T20I against Australia in Darwin. The 19-year-old has tasted SA20 action before with the Paarl Royals and will be eager to continue his journey.

Simelane, part of the Sunrisers Eastern Cape squad for the past two seasons, will be one of the top all-rounders when the players go under the hammer.

Heading into the fourth season, the next wave of young talent is poised to shine in South Africa’s premier T20 competition.

The player registration for the auction will close on Monday, 18 August at 20:30 PM IST. Interested players can register on the SA20 website or here.