Laura Wolvaardt, Marizanne Kapp head CSA nominations list

The pair of Marizanne Kapp and Laura Wolvaardt have been nominated for as many as four categories in the 2019-20 Cricket South Africa international awards the board announced on Friday (May 29). The nominees were chosen by a judging panel consisting of Jeremy Fredericks (Convener), Crystal Arnold, Makhaya Ntini, Clinton du Preez, Lungani Zama and Natalie Germanos with statistical input by Andrew Samson. The event will take place in a virtual ceremony on July 4 because of the restrictions imposed by the government.



Both players have been nominated in categories for ODI Cricketer of the Year and Players' Player of the Year, while Wolvaardt has also been nominated for the Streetwise award and the top prize of the night - Player of the Year. Additionally, Kapp, finds herself nominated for the 'Delivery of the Year' award alongside men's team fast bowlers Anrich Nortje and Vernon Philander.



Wolvaardt enjoyed a splendid 12 months at the international stage scoring close to 400 runs in ODIs - including four fifties - and 216 runs in T20Is. During the phase she not only combined with Lizelle Lee to cement their position as South Africa's most successful partnership in ODIs, but also showed significant improvement in the shortest format of the game.



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Contrary to expectation, the right-hander proved to be South Africa's best batter in the T20 World Cup in Australia blasting 94 runs in two outings at a stellar strike rate of 149.21. Coming in to bat in the middle order, Wolvaardt combined power with finesse to finish unbeaten in both her innings, taking South Africa to the brink of victory in the semi-final against Australia.



Kapp, too, through this period, underlined her value to the South African team. The allrounder took 14 wickets and scored 126 runs, including a valiant fifty against India. She also played an important part in the team's historic ODI series whitewash of New Zealand earlier this year, taking 4 for 29 in the second game, to help South Africa seal the series.



The other contenders for top prize are Shabnim Ismail and Lizelle Lee, both of whom have also been nominated for the T20I Player of the Year alongside youngster Nadine de Klerk.



Lee scored her maiden T20I century against Thailand earlier this year, while Ismail enjoyed a fruitful tour of India also performing admirably in the World Cup. De Klerk, meanwhile, stepped up in the absence of Kapp in the T20 World Cup semi-final, taking three crucial wickets to halt Australia's progress with the bat.







Ayabonga Khaka, the fast bowler, who returned to the side after undergoing a difficult shoulder surgery, has been nominated for ODI Player of the Year, while veteran Mignon du Preez has been nominated in the Streetwise category.



For the first time, both men and women will go up against each other in two categories - the Streetwise award, and Delivery of the Year.



“It is my great pleasure and privilege to congratulate all the nominees as we celebrate the achievements of both our Proteas men’s and women’s squads,” said Dr. Jacques Faul, CSA Acting Chief Executive. “And, while we are doing that, let us not forget to thank all those great and selfless people who work diligently behind the scenes to create opportunities for our leading cricketers to excel."



Full list of nominations:



Delivery of the Year: Marizanne Kapp, Anrich Nortje, Vernon Philander



Streetwise award: Mignon du Preez, Lungi Ngidi, Laura Wolvaardt



T20I Cricketer of the Year: Nadine de Klerk, Shabnim Ismail, Lizelle Lee



ODI Cricketer of the Year: Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Laura Wolvaardt



Players' Player of the Year: Shabnim Ismail, Laura Wolvaardt, Marizanne Kapp



Fans' Cricketer of the Year: Sune Luus, Laura Wolvaardt, Ayabonga Khaka, Mignon du Preez, Shabnim Ismail, Marizanne Kapp, Tabraiz Shamsi, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, Quinton de Kock, Anrich Nortje



Cricketer of the Year: Shabnim Ismail, Lizelle Lee, Laura Wolvaardt