Maharaj and Khaka win big at CSA awards

Keshav Maharaj celebrates the wicket of Ishan Kishan during the Proteas' first T20 International match against India at Arun Jaitley Stadium on June 9.
Keshav Maharaj celebrates the wicket of Ishan Kishan during the Proteas' first T20 International match against India at Arun Jaitley Stadium on June 9.
Image: Pankaj Nangia/Gallo Images

Keshav Maharaj and Ayabonga Khaka have been named the 2021/22 SA Men’s and SA Women’s Cricketers of the Year.

The announcement was made at Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) awards ceremony, which was held virtually on Sunday evening.

Maharaj and Khaka were also voted as favourites by their teammates to claim the respective SA Men and SA Women’s Players’ Player of the Year awards.

In the men’s awards, other winners included Kagiso Rabada, who was named the Test Player of the Year; Aiden Markram, who was named T20 International Player of the Year; and Janneman Malan, who was named One-Day International Player of the Year. Marco Jansen was named the International Newcomer of the Year and Mitchell van Buuren named the Domestic Newcomer of the Season.

Notable winners from the women’s categories were Lizelle Lee (Momentum Women's T20 International Player of the Year) and Laura Wolvaardt (Momentum Women's One-Day International Player of the Year).

For The Best Delivery Fuelled by KFC and voted for by the fans, Simon Harmer took the award for the dismissal of Najmul Hossain Shanto in the first Test match against Bangladesh in Durban.

The SA Fans’ Player of the Year went to David Miller. With all voting done on the CSA app, Miller was the fans' favourite after an explosive white-ball season.

Nonkululeko Mlaba was honoured with the Makhaya Ntini Power of Cricket Award, which celebrates the perseverance, passion and the overwhelming pride of people who have used their talent to change their circumstances.

On the domestic front, Sisanda Magala was the biggest winner of the night, taking home three awards. He won the Division 1 One-Day Cup Player of the Season, Domestic Players' Player of the Season, and the SACA Most Valuable Player Award.

In the amateur categories, Tazmin Brits took home the CSA Women's Provincial Player of the Year, Dewald Brevis was named the CSA U19 Player of the Year, and Boland’s Nathan Engelbrecht named the CSA Rural Cricket Player of the Year and T20 Community Cup Player of the Tournament.

CSA CEO Pholetsi Moseki congratulated all the winners. “The players have endured a lot during the past two years as the Covid-19 pandemic challenged the conditions of our game. Our teams’ tenacity is seen in the improvement of our national teams and the opportunities that our pipeline continues to provide nationwide,” Moseki said. 

“A big thank you to our umpires, grounds staff and scorers, who ensured that CSA delivers another fantastic season.

“Our gratitude goes out to our sponsors and partners who have stood beside us in these challenging economic times. Your support has helped us keep our cricket and pipeline programmes thriving.

“We look forward to the upcoming action-packed season as South Africa gets to host the inaugural ICC Women’s T20 World Cup and the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup in 2023. We will also be hosting the inaugural star-studded Twenty20 competition, a first on the African continent.”

CSA board chairperson Lawson Naidoo said this season validated the new CSA two-division domestic structure, which delivered an exhilarating blend of cricket in South Africa.

“We have seen our athletes giving their best in the field of play, spectacles that assured us that talent and skill are plentiful in our set-ups," Naidoo said.

“On behalf of the board of Cricket South Africa, I congratulate all the winners today. Congratulations also go out to all the nominees as these awards are a candid reflection of why cricket is such a powerful agent of change.”

AMATEUR AWARDS:

  • KFC MINI-CRICKET COACH OF THE YEAR - Jerry Thulo (Lions Cricket)
  • KFC MINI-CRICKET BUCKET LOADS OF GOOD AWARD - Joseph Ngqasa (Kei Cricket)
  • CSA BOYS U16 PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT - Riley Norton (Boland)
  • CSA GIRLS U16 PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT - Mpumelelo Mashiloane (Easterns)
  • CSA GIRLS U19 PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT - Elandri Janse van Rensburg (North West)
  • KHAYA MAJOLA CRICKET WEEK PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT - Ronan Hermann (Lions Cricket)
  • CSA U19 PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Dewald Brevis (Titans Cricket)
  • CSA BLIND CRICKET PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Buhle Bhidla (Lions Cricket)
  • CSA DEAF CRICKET PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Arthur Mcgee (Titans Cricket)
  • CSA RURAL CRICKET PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Nathan Engelbrecht (Boland)
  • T20 COMMUNITY CUP PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT - Nathan Engelbrecht (Boland)
  • CSA STUDENT PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Donovan Ferreira (TUKS)
  • WOMEN'S PROVINCIAL COACH OF THE YEAR - Wynand Schmitt (Senwes Dragons)
  • KEMACH EQUIPMENT GROUNDSMAN OF THE YEAR - Bryan Bloy - SuperSport Park Centurion
  • CSA FAIRPLAY AWARD - Warriors
  • CSA WOMEN'S PROVINCIAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Tazmin Brits (Senwes Dragons)

 


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