SA20 - Growing SA Cricket

In January 2023, the inaugural SA20 competition is scheduled to join the party. This is the first edition of the S20 auction and excitement is at an all time high in cricket betting circles. The SA20 is an IPL format tournament that takes place across South Africa.

The teams kicked off proceedings with an auction for players, which was not short on controversy. Tristan Stubbs hit a six, closing proceedings as the most expensive player and Temba Bavuma went unsold in the aftermath of the auction.

It will be interesting to see whether the SA20 cricket betting odds will be as competitive as the IPL betting odds. The original Indian franchises have been drawing record crowds since its first edition back in 2008.

Let's take a closer look at who the 6 teams are that will be partaking in this exciting new cricket competition. Some of the familiar names might sway a neutral to place a lucky bet on cricket! Local talent as well as a few international freelancers were on offer to the six city-based teams named after their IPL chiefs:

• Durban’s Super Giants
• Joburg Super Kings
• MI Cape Town
• Paarl Royals
• Pretoria Capitals
• Sunrisers Eastern Cape

Tristan Stubbs was the biggest winner after the Sunrisers Eastern Cape (affiliated with the Sunrisers in Hyderabad) splashed some big money on him. Stubbs ended the evening being the most expensive player sold at a whopping R9.2m! Eastern Cape certainly made a statement of intent with this acquisition, it will be interesting to see the cricket betting odds when they finally take to the field.

Temba Bavuma, who will lead his country in the T20 World Cup in October, remains unsold. 

According to one prominent South African coach, a worrying and embarrassing scenario played out when the team's leader would be left on the bench. All CSA-contracted players had a starting price of R850,000 which Bavuma declined to reduce by almost 80%. It is possible that he would have been purchased if he had done so.

All-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo, a member of the Proteas' wider World Cup squad, is another notable player who went unsold. A sober reading of their respective strike-rates and averages would suggest they were omitted for the right reasons, but the optics are most certainly concerning.

It was a big day for cricket fans and an even bigger day for some top-class South African cricket players. Betting on cricket will most definitely be as exciting as ever with the below names all involved! Here goes the list of the 10 most expensive players who were sold:

1. Tristan Stubbs – R9.2m (Sunrisers Eastern Cape)
2. Rilee Rossouw – R6.9m (Pretoria Capitals)
3. Marco Jansen – R6.1m (Sunrisers Eastern Cape)
4. Wayne Parnell – R5.6m (Pretoria Capitals)
5. Sisanda Magala – R5.4m (Sunrisers Eastern Cape)
6. Heinrich Klaasen – R4.5m (Durban Super Giants)
7. Reeza Hendricks – R4.5m (Joburg Super Kings)
8. Tabraiz Shamsi – R4.3m (Paarl Royals)
9. Dwaine Pretorius – R4.1m (Durban Super Giants)
10. Rassie van der Dussen – R3.9m (MI Cape Town)

1. Dean Elgar
2. Temba Bavuma
3. Roston Chase
4. Ross Taylor
5. Dinesh Chandimal
6. Carlos Brathwaite 
7. Lewis Gregory 
8. Keegan Petersen 
9. Farhaan Behardein
10. Unmukt Chand

Johannesburg Super Kings: Faf du Plessis, Gerald Coetzee, Maheesh Theekshana, Romario Shepherd, Harry Brook, Janneman Malan, Reeza Hendricks, Kyle Verreynne, George Garton, Alzarri Joseph, Leus du Plooy, Lewis Gregory, Lizaad Williams, Donavon Ferreira, Nandre Burger, Malusi Siboto, Caleb Seleka

Sunrisers Eastern Cape: Aiden Markram, Ottneil Baartman, Marco Jansen, Tristan Stubbs, Sisanda Magala, Junaid Dawood, Mason Crane, Jon-Jon Smuts, Jordan Cox, Adam Rossington, Roelof van der Merwe, Marques Ackerman, James Fuller, Brydon Carse, Sarel Erwee, Aya Gqamane, Tom Abell

Paarl Royals: David Miller, Corbin Bosch, Jos Buttler, Obed McCoy, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Jason Roy, Dane Vilas, Bjorn Fortuin, Wihan Lubbe, Ferisco Adams, Imraan Manack, Evan Jones, Ramon Simmonds, Mitchell van Buuren, Eoin Morgan, Codi Yusuf

Durban Super Giants: Quinton de Kock, Prenelan Subrayen, Jason Holder, Kyle Mayers, Reece Topley, Dwaine Pretorius, Heinrich Klaasen, Keemo Paul, Keshav Maharaj, Kyle Abbott, Junior Dala, Dilshan Madushanka, Johnson Charles, Matthew Breetzke, Christiaan Jonker, Wiaan Mulder, Simon Harmer

MI Cape Town: Kagiso Rabada, Dewald Brevis, Rashid Khan, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Rassie van der Dussen, Ryan Rickelton, George Linde, Beuran Hendricks, Duan Jansen, Delano Potgieter, Grant Roelofsen, Wesley Marshall, Olly Stone, Waqar Salamkheil, Ziyaad Abharams, Odean Smith

Pretoria Capitals: Anrich Nortje, Migael Pretorius, Rilee Rossouw, Phil Salt, Wayne Parnell, Josh Little, Shaun von Berg, Adil Rashid, Cameron Delport, Will Jacks, Theunis de Bruyn, Marco Marais, Kusal Mendis, Daryn Dupavillon, Jimmy Neesham, Eathan Bosch, Shane Dadswel

Taking those wildly impossible multileg bets adds a lot to the thrill of sports betting for many punters. Sportingbet offers the highest cricket betting odds on the market. Take a look at the cricket betting markets currently on the site and get your bet on cricket in before the big SA20 kicks off.