Six franchises namely Cape Town Blitz, Durban Heat, Jozi Stars, Nelson Mandela Bay Giants, Paarl Rocks and Tshwane Spartans picked their overseas marquee players from the elite list of Eoin Morgan, Jason Roy, Dawid Malan, Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Rashid Khan in the inaugural main player draft of the Mzansi Super League held on Wednesday. Every team had already picked their marquee South African player among AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis, Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Kagiso Rabada and Imran Tahir.
During the main player draft, the teams were asked to pick the remaining 14 of their 16-member squad from the foreign/kolpak and other South African players who had registered for the draft.
Durban Heat got the first call in the round to select international marquee players and they roped in Rashid Khan, the numero uno T20 bowler in ICC rankings. Subsequently, Jozi Stars opted for Chris Gayle while Paarl Rocks went with Dwayne Bravo, Cape Town Blitz with Dawid Malan, Tshwane Spartans with Eoin Morgan and Nelson Mandela Bay Giants with Jason Roy.
In the next 14 rounds, the franchises had to go for the foreign/kolpak and other South African players. The Giants commenced this particular round by picking Chris Morris. Spartans then chose Lungi Ngidi, the Blitz went for Andile Phehlukwayo, the Rocks opted for Tabraiz Shamsi, the Stars settled for Dane Vilas and the Heat went with David Miller.
Final squads of the 6 teams for Mzansi Super League:
CAPE TOWN BLITZ: Quinton de Kock, Dawid Malan (England), Andile Phehlukwayo, Dale Steyn, Samuel Badree (Windies), Asif Ali (Pakistan), Farhaan Behardien, Anrich Nortje, Janneman Malan, Malusi Siboto, George Linde, Ferisco Adams, Jason Smith, Sibonelo Makhanya, Kyle Verreynne (rookie), Dane Piedt.
DURBAN HEAT: Hashim Amla, Rashid Khan (Afghanistan), David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Kyle Abbott (kolpak), Keshav Maharaj, Khaya Zondo, Albie Morkel, Marchant de Lange (kolpak), Vernon Philander, Brandon Mavuta (Zimbabwe), Temba Bavuma, Morne van Wyk, Okuhle Cele (rookie), Sarel Erwee, Tladi Bokako.
JOZI STARS: Kagiso Rabada, Chris Gayle (Windies), Dane Vilas (kolpak), Rassie van der Dussen, Daniel Christian (Australia), Beuran Hendricks, Reeza Hendricks, Dwaine Pretorius, Eddie Leie, Pite van Biljon, Duanne Olivier, Ryan Rickelton, Sinethemba Qeshile (rookie), Simon Harmer (kolpak), Calvin Savage, Alfred Mothoa.
NELSON MANDELA BAY GIANTS: Imran Tahir, Jason Roy (England), Chris Morris, Jon-Jon Smuts, Junior Dala, Christiaan Jonker, Aaron Phangiso, Ben Duckett (England), Sisanda Magala, Ryan McLaren, Heino Kuhn, Marco Marais, Dyllan Matthews (rookie), Lizaad Williams, Rudi Second, Carmi le Roux.
PAARL ROCKS: Faf du Plessis, Dwayne Bravo (Windies), Tabraiz Shamsi, Dane Paterson, Aiden Markram, Mangaliso Mosehle, Bjorn Fortuin, Vaughn van Jaarsveld, Grant Thomson, Paul Stirling (Ireland), Tshepo Moreki, Henry Davids, Cameron Delport (kolpak), Eathan Bosch (rookie), Patrick Kruger, Kerwin Mungroo.
TSHWANE SPARTANS: AB de Villiers, Eoin Morgan (England), Lungi Ngidi, Robbie Frylinck, Jeewan Mendis (Sri Lanka), Theunis de Bruyn, Rory Kleinveldt, Sean Williams (Zimbabwe), Gihahn Cloete, Lutho Sipamla (rookie), Tony de Zorzi (rookie), Dean Elgar, Andrew Birch, Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe), Shaun von Berg, Eldred Hawken.
(With inputs from Cricbuzz)
