That’s right folks, it’s awards time again for the South African cricket fraternity. Seems that just the other day we were singing the praises of Graeme Smith as he took the award for SA cricket player of the year, mostly for his captaincy during a serious purple patch for SA cricket.
On Tuesday 20th July Cricket South Africa will name the winner in each category, I figured that since I’m a betting man, I’ll stick my neck out and make my picks.
CSA Umpire of the year: who cares?
MTN40 Cricketer of the year: Tough call, Colin Ingram had a superb season, ending with the most runs in the competition; an average of 60 and a highest score of 125*, which is impressive. Not to be out done, Gibbs also put in a quality performance finishing the MTN40 with the highest average of 70.85 at a strike rate of 119.23 – pure class. This has always been a batsmen’s game, and as a fast bowler myself I’m glad to see a bowler being nominated, Rusty Theron had a stellar season with the ball, he took the most wickets in three games less than second place Tsotsobe. His performance caught the eye of the national selectors and he broke into the T20 squad for the ICC World Twenty20 tournament. My prediction: Rusty Theron.
Standard Bank Pro20 Cricketer of the Year: Could a bowler ever win this award? For me it’s between Colin Ingram and Morne van Wyk. My prediction: Morne van Wyk but I would have like to have seen Vaughn van Jaarsveld nominated.
SuperSport Series Cricketer of the Year: Honestly, I didn’t watch a single game, or follow the series in the news, it’s a pity – I know. I can’t make a prediction in this category, I’d be guessing.
Standard Bank International Pro20 Cricketer of the Year: This is probably the easiest prediction to make. My prediction: Jacques Kallis for the way he has transformed his game to become one of the leading players of T20 cricket, he’s been consistent with the bat and has been doing so at a good strike rate. Kallis has also added variation to the bowling attack, making this an easy decision.
Standard Bank ODI Cricketer of the Year: Easy choice, there have been only three batsmen in the game to have scored three consecutive ODI centuries. AB de Villiers added his name to the list to make it four when he scored 102 against the West Indies in the first ODI of the series. His previous two centuries were against India (114*,102), the other players on the list are Zaheer Abbas (Pak), Saeed Anwar (Pak) and Herschelle Gibbs. My prediction: AB de Villiers
CSA Test Cricketer of the Year: Do I really have to say anything? No I don’t because I’ve said it before. My Predication: Hashim Amla.
SA Cricketer of the Year: Hashim Amla has carried himself with pride and respect over the past few years, he had his doubters at the beginning of his career, but over the past year he really has become one of the best players that South Africa has produced. Amla scored his highest total of 253* against India this year and if circumstances had allowed he would have gone on to set a new record. He scored two ODI centuries in 2010, at an average of 74.71 – and people said that he couldn’t play the ODI game. My prediction: Hashim Amla
The finalists are:
PROFESSIONAL AWARDS: DOMESTIC
CSA Umpire of the Year: Johan Cloete, Marais Erasmus, Brian Jerling
MTN40 Cricketer of the Year: Herschelle Gibbs, Colin Ingram, Rusty Theron
Standard Bank Pro20 Cricketer of the Year: Robbie Frylinck, Colin Ingram, Morne van Wyk
SuperSport Series Cricketer of the Year: Vernon Philander, Rilee Rossouw, Thami Tsolekile
PROFESSIONAL AWARDS: SA TEAM
Standard Bank International Pro20 Cricketer of the Year: AB de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, Charl Langeveldt
Standard Bank ODI Cricketer of the Year: Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Jacques Kallis
CSA Test Cricketer of the Year: Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, Dale Steyn
SA Cricketer of the Year: Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, Dale Steyn
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