Fast bowling sensations Gerald Coetzee and Nandre Burger made it to Cricket South Africa’s player contracts for 2024/25.
Coetzee, who shone in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 in India with 20 wickets, the most by a South Africa player, and Nandre Burger, who enjoyed a special debut Test series against India, were rewarded with year-round contracts for the upcoming season.
While Coetzee had made the contract list in November during the World Cup, this is his first full-year contract.
Anrich Nortje, who has been out of action for a while with a back injury, misses out on the list of contracted players. Another notable absentee was Quinton de Kock, who retired from One Day Internationals recently after the World Cup.
There were other inclusions with top-order batsman Toni de Zorzi another notable addition to the contract list. Andile Phehlukwayo, who made a promising return to international cricket, has also been rewarded with a contract.
The likes of Sisanda Magala, Wayne Parnell and Keegan Petersen miss out on the latest contracts. Dean Elgar, who retired from international cricket, was the other absentee from the previous year’s list.
The contract list is a big blow for de Kock, who is only active in the T20 format in international cricket. WIth the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup looming, there will now be question marks over his inclusion in the squad.
Heinrich Klaasen, who is in red-hot form in the format, is available as a wicketkeeping option for the Proteas. De Kock, who finished as the third-highest run-getter in the World Cup in India last year with 594 runs including four hundreds, had retired from ODIs after the tournament.
Nortje, meanwhile, last played international cricket in September 2023, but has returned to action following the injury. He is currently with the Delhi Capitals unit in the Indian Premier League.
The women’s contracts were also announced with no major surprises. Shabnim Ismail, who announced her retirement from international cricket last year, is the only women’s player from last season who is not in the current contract list.
Ayanda Hlubi and Eliz-Mari Marx, both of whom debut in international cricket in 2023, earned contracts for the upcoming season.
Men’s contracts
Temba Bavuma, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs, and Rassie van der Dussen.
Women’s contracts
Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Lara Goodall, Ayanda Hlubi, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Suné Luus, Eliz-Mari Marx, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Chloe Tryon, Delmi Tucker, and Laura Wolvaardt.
