The inaugural edition of Major League Cricket will start this week. Several former provincial and franchise cricketers from South Africa will be involved in the tournament.
1. Calvin Savage
Savage played for the Dolphins and Cape Cobras in South Africa before relocating to the USA. After initial association with the Michigan State Stars, he now represents the Chicago Tigers in Minor League Cricket and is in the Texas Super Kings’ squad for Major League Cricket.
“I feel like I have given it a fair go in South African cricket. I had tried to make it happen, to play for South Africa. But I just didn’t see that happening. If it was going to happen, it would have happened by now,” Savage told Club Cricket SA in 2021.
2. Cody Chetty
Chetty played for the Dolphins before moving to the USA. He was with the Hollywood Master Blasters in Minor League Cricket before joining Savage at the Chicago Tigers. Chetty will also be Savage’s team-mate at the Texas Super Kings.
3. Shadley van Schalkwyk
Van Schalkwyk was with the Knights and was among the first South African franchise cricketers to move to the USA. He joined the Silicon Valley Strikers and later the title-winning Seattle Thunderbolts. Van Schalkwyk has all but qualified to play for the USA in international cricket. He is in the Los Angeles Knight Riders squad for Major League Cricket.
Shadley van Schalkwyk (right).
4. Corne Dry
Dry was also with the Knights before moving to the USA. He joined the Atlanta Fire in 2021 – and won one of four Most Valuable Player awards. Dry will be van Schalkwyk’ team-mate at the Knight Riders in MLC.
5. Carmi le Roux
Le Roux played for Gauteng at provincial level and represented the Nelson Mandela Bay Super Giants in the Mzansi Super League. Relocation to the USA took him to the East Bay Blazers in Minor League Cricket. He will be with the San Francisco Unicorns for Major League Cricket.
6. David White
White used to play for the Warriors in South Africa. He is employed by American Cricket Enterprises, which owns Major League Cricket. White has played for the East Bay Blazers in Minor League Cricket and is in the San Francisco Unicorn’s squad for Major League Cricket.
Chad Bowes (left), David Bunn (centre), David White (right).
7. Andries Gous
Gous also played for the Knights in South Africa. He moved to the USA and joined the Seattle Thunderbolts in Minor League Cricket. Like van Schalkywyk, Gous won a Minor League Cricket Championship title with the Thunderbolts. Gous then moved to the Dallas Mustangs in MiLC. For Major League Cricket, he’ll be with Washington Freedom.
“You get a three-year deal here in the States. If you are contracted by Major League Cricket, which I am, then you are guaranteed a spot in a Major League Cricket squad. There is stability in the States and this move is for me and my family. It’s important to have this stability for us,” Gous told Club Cricket SA in 2021.
8. Dane Piedt
Piedt, like van Schalkwyk, was among the first South African franchise cricketers to relocate to the USA. He captained the Cape Cobras and played Test cricket for the Proteas before moving abroad. Piedt joined the DC Hawks in Minor League Cricket. He then moved to the Morrisville Cardinals, which became the Morrisville Raptors, in MiLC. Piedt is with Washington Freedom for Major League Cricket.
9. Justin Dill
Dill, like le Roux, played provincial but not franchise cricket in South Africa. He then joined the New Jersey Stallions in Minor League Cricket in the USA and later the St Louis Americans. He is the captain of the St Louis Americans in MiLC and is in Washington Freedom’s squad for MLC.
“I’m very grateful to be on a three-year contract with American Cricket Enterprises. To be given the platform to elevate my cricket and cricket in general in the US is something I am truly excited about, which with limited opportunities in SA, was not possible,” Dill told Club Cricket SA in 2021.
Justin Dill.
10. Obus Pienaar
Pienaar was with the Knights in South Africa before moving to the USA. He played for the St Louis Americans in Minor League Cricket before joining the Morrisville Raptors. He hit a record-breaking century for the Raptors in MiLC. He is in the Washington Freedom squad for MLC.
11. Rusty Theron
Theron, like Piedt, played franchise cricket in South Africa and international cricket for the Proteas. He has since played ODI and T20I cricket for the USA. Theron will be team-mates with Savage, Chetty and Proteas trio Faf du Plessis, David Miller and Gerald Coetzee at the Texas Super Kings.