Kieron Pollard made a sensational entry into a Super Kings franchise for the first time, headlining the player auction for season five of SA20, held on Wednesday (October 7).
The 39-year-old veteran all-rounder, who spent years with the MI family playing for Mumbai Indians, MI Cape Town, MI Emirates and MI New York in different competitions, was snapped up unopposed by Joburg Super Kings. He went for R1.5 million.
The biggest bid of the night belonged to an all-rounder two decades his junior. South Africa U19 product Jason Rowles signed an R2.9 million deal with the Super Kings, who entered the auction with the biggest purse. Aside from Pollard and Rowles, the Super Kings completed their roster with four more picks: Faf du Plessis returned to the yellow kit for R2.7 million. They also picked Dayyaan Galiem and went for Blessing Muzarabani and Andries Gous in the nomination round.
MI Cape Town, too, had six slots to fill. Their first purchase was Shimron Hetmyer, also the opening bid of the night, after which they snapped up Wiaan Mulder, who was almost unsold but for a late bid, encountering tough competition from the Super Kings. Trent Boult returned to the franchise as well, with Daniel Smith, Lehan Botha and Oliver Whitehead being their other picks.
Pretoria Capitals had five slots to fill and entered quite late given their budget. They got Keemo Paul, Ackeem Auguste, Josh Breed and Temba Bavuma, along with Rassie van der Dussen, who was unsold at first in the opening marquee round.
Sunrisers Eastern Cape had two slots to close and snapped up Nandre Burger and Craig Overton. Durban’s Super Giants and Paarl Royals had already completed their quota and needed no reinforcements from the auction after the salary cap was increased to R42 million.
SQUADS
JOBURG SUPER KINGS
Retained players: Jarren Bacher, Matthew de Villiers, Leus du Plooy, Donovan Ferreira, Dian Forrester, Akeal Hosein (West Indies), Duan Jansen, Rilee Rossouw, Janco Smit, Prenelan Subrayen, James Vince (England)
Pre-signings: Jason Holder (West Indies)
Bought at the auction: Faf du Plessis (2,700,000), Jason Rowles (2,900,000), Dayyaan Galiem (375,000), Kieron Pollard (1,500,000), Blessing Muzarabani (500,000) and Andries Gous (1,000,000)
MI CAPE TOWN
Retained players: Corbin Bosch, Reeza Hendricks, Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), Thomas Kaber, George Linde, Tristan Luus – U23, Dane Piedt, Nicholas Pooran (West Indies), Kagiso Rabada (Wildcard), Ryan Rickelton, Jason Smith, Tiaan van Vuuren
Pre-signings: Will Jacks (England)
Bought at the auction: Shimron Hetmyer (1,500,000), Wiaan Mulder (2,600,000), Trent Boult (1,500,000), Daniel Smith (200,000), Lehan Botha (200,000) and Oliver Whitehead (200,000)
PRETORIA CAPITALS
Retained players: Dewald Brevis, Connor Esterhuizen, Wihan Lubbe, Keshav Maharaj, Bayanda Majola – U23, Lungi Ngidi, Bryce Parsons, Gideon Peters, Andre Russell (West Indies – Wildcard), Sherfane Rutherford (West Indies), Lizaad Williams, Codi Yusuf
Pre-signings: Phil Salt (England), Matthew Short (Australia)
Bought at the auction: Rassie van der Dussen (500,000), Keemo Paul (200,000), Ackeem Auguste (200,000), Josh Breed (200,000), Temba Bavuma (200,000)
SUNRISERS EASTERN CAPE
Retained players: Matthew Breetzke, James Coles (England), Quinton de Kock, Lewis Gregory (England), Jordan Hermann, Marco Jansen (Wildcard), CJ King – U23, JP King, Patrick Kruger, Adam Milne (New Zealand), Senuran Muthusamy, Anrich Nortje, Lutho Sipamla, Tristan Stubbs, Mitchell van Buuren
Pre-signings: Mitchell Marsh (Australia), Rishad Hossain (Bangladesh)
Bought at the auction: Nandre Burger (500,000), Craig Overton (1,500,000)
DURBAN’S SUPER GIANTS
Retained players: Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Eathan Bosch, Jos Buttler (England), Gerald Coetzee, Devon Conway (New Zealand), Tony de Zorzi, Daryn Dupavillon, Simon Harmer, Evan Jones, Heinrich Klaasen (Wildcard), Liam Livingstone (England), Kwena Maphaka – U23, Aiden Markram, Sunil Narine (West Indies), Andile Simelane – U23, Kyle Simmonds, Kane Williamson (New Zealand)
Pre-signings: Sam Curran (England)
No players bought at the auction
PAARL ROYALS
Retained players: Ottneil Baartman, JJ Basson – U23, Bjorn Fortuin, Rubin Hermann, Dan Lawrence (England), Keagan Lion-Cachet, David Miller, Nqobani Mokoena – U23, Gudakesh Motie (West Indies), Delano Potgieter, Lhuan-dre Pretorius – U23, Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe), Thomas Rew (England), Asa Tribe (Jersey), Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Afghanistan), Kyle Verreynne, Hardus Viljoen
Pre-signings: Azmatullah Omarzai (Afghanistan), Joe Root (Wildcard)
No players bought at the auction
All prices are in South African Rand
