Nortje and Ismail honoured with CSA’s top awards

Photo Credit: BCCI

Anrich Nortje and Shabnim Ismail received the highest accolade that Cricket South Africa (CSA) has to offer when they were named SA Men’s and SA Women’s Cricketer of the Year in their respective categories at CSA’s virtual awards which were held this evening. 

The traditional gala ceremony was not possible because of the Coronavirus lockdown but it did not stop the CSA family celebrating the occasion in a suitable manner. 

It was a truly memorable occasion for Ismail who won no fewer than three awards. She was also named Momentum Women’s T20 International Cricketer of the Year and SA Women’s Players’ Player of the Year. Nortje achieved similar success, being named Test Cricketer of the Year, SA Fans’ Cricketer of the Year and sharing in a tied vote with Aiden Markram the SA Men’s Players’ Player of the Year. 

Having previously won the women’s premier award in 2015, Ismail joins Marizanne Kapp (2013/14) and Dane van Niekerk (2016/18/19) as multiple winners in the professional era. 

Nortje becomes the 12^th player to win the premier men’s award and created his own piece of history by being named International Newcomer of the Year and Men’s Cricketer of the Year in successive years. 

In a continuation of the trend that started last year when the Momentum Proteas competed successfully for awards that had no gender limitation, Lizelle Lee won the KFC Streetwise Award for her brilliant century in the ODI series against India. With Nortje winning the SA Fans’ Player of the Year, which was decided by an online poll, the third award available to all, the CSA Delivery of the Year, went to Wiaan Mulder for dismissing Kusal Mendis with the aid of a catch by Rassie van der Dussen in the second Test match against Sri Lanka. 

Lee was also named Momentum One-Day International Cricketer of the Year. 

Van der Dussen was honoured with the One-Day International Cricketer of the Year award while Tabraiz Shamsi was named T20 Cricketer of the Year and George Linde the Men’s International Newcomer of the Year. 

CSA Acting Chief Executive Pholetsi Moseki congratulated all the winners. “Anrich and Shabnim have set the highest standards that we expect from our icon Proteas players. Anrich’s international career to date has been remarkable. In the space of a year he has gone from being named our International Newcomer of the Year to our overall Player of the Year – an incredible achievement. The pandemic has restricted him to just 10 Test matches to date in which he has taken 39 wickets, including three five-wicket hauls. 

“His strike rate of 48.50 is comfortably within the benchmark number that defines the world’s leading bowlers; he has also delivered the fastest delivery ever of the Indian Premier League in which the cream of the world’s talent goes head to head. 

“Shabnim is the fastest bowler on the women’s international circuit, and she has been the leader of our Momentum Proteas attack for a long time now. She is the only South African to have taken 100 wickets in the T20 International format and she recently passed the significant landmark of 150 wickets in ODI cricket. 

“She has played a huge role in enabling our Momentum Proteas to break into the top group of countries with a world ranking of No. 2 in the ODI format. 

“Genuine fast bowling remains one of the great and thrilling sights of our game and we are indeed blessed to continue to produce world leaders in this demanding skill. 

“I warmly congratulate all our winners, both at international and domestic level, and I also wish to take this opportunity to acknowledge our umpires, grounds staff and scorers, too. 

“I would like to pay a special tribute to our medical team who have done wonders in making the playing of cricket possible. They have set standards in providing bio-secure facilities that compare with the best in the world. The fact that we have been able to play a full season of home international and franchise cricket speaks for itself.” 

“In conclusion, I would also like to thank our sponsors and partners. Economic times are extremely tough, and we are grateful to you all for standing by us to keep as much of our cricket and pipeline programmes going as possible.” 

In the Professional Awards: Domestic category, it was a big night for the Hollywoodbets Dolphins franchise who won five of the eight awards on offer. Keshav Maharaj was the biggest winner being named SACA Most Valuable Player (MVP) as well as Domestic Players’ Player of the Season. Robbie Frylinck was named Momentum One-Day Cup Cricketer of the Season and Imraan Khan PitchVision Coach of the Season. 

Ottniel Baartman was named as inaugural winner of the Makhaya Ntini Power of Cricket Award. 

The Momentum Multiply Titans had two winners in this category Aiden Markram (CSA 4-Day Domestic Series Cricketer of the Season) and Neil Brand (Domestic Newcomer of the Season). Sisanda Magala of the Imperial Lions was named Betway T20 Challenge Cricketer of the Season. 

In the Professional Awards: Operations category, the Warriors retained the CSA Fairplay Award as did Adrian Holdstock the CSA Umpire of the Year award while Lubabalo Gcuma was named CSA Umpires’ Umpire of the Year. 

AWARD WINNERS 

PROFESSIONAL AWARDS: NATIONAL 

PROFESSIONAL AWARDS: DOMESTIC 

PROFESSIONAL AWARDS: OPERATIONS 

AMATEUR AWARDS 

Cricket South Africa