Club Cricket SA’s Team of the Season: 2023-24 WPCA PREMIER LEAGUE

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Morne Pentz cricketMorne Pentz. ©M. de Lange Photography

Posted By: Editorial March 27, 2024

An independent panel of judges selected Club Cricket SA’s Team of the Season for the 2023-24 Western Province Cricket Association premier league.

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1. Derek Mitchell (Western Province Cricket Club)

  • Matches: 22, runs: 953, average: 48, strike rate: 80, highest score: 125

Mitchell scored the most runs in the 2023-24 WPCA premier league, including two centuries and six half-tons. He hit the joint-most sixes among the top 15 run-scorers – 24. Mitchell was also the leading run-scorer in last season’s premier league.

2. Gavin Kaplan (Western Province Cricket Club)

  • Matches: 17, runs: 771, average: 51, strike rate: 79, highest score: 90 not out | Wickets: 5, average: 26, economy rate: 3.7, best figures: 1/5

Kaplan was the sixth highest run-scorer in the 2023-24 WPCA premier league. He collected nine half-centuries – more than anyone else. His form in club cricket coincided with a return to Western Province’s first-class XI.

Gavin Kaplan cricket

Gavin Kaplan.

3. Christiaan Oberholzer (Cape Town Cricket Club)

  • Matches: 19, runs: 873, average: 55, strike rate: 85, highest score: 137 | Wickets: 28, average: 23, economy rate: 4.8, best figures: 4/23

Oberholzer was the second highest run-scorer in the 2023-24 WPCA premier league – and was the only batsman to hit three centuries. The leg-spinning all-rounder was one of only three players to hit 500-plus runs and take 25 or more wickets.

Christiaan Oberholzer cricket

Christiaan Oberholzer.

4. Matthew de Villiers (Claremont Cricket Club)

  • Matches: 18, runs: 818, average: 58, strike rate: 107, highest score: 125 not out | Wickets: 4, average: 45, economy rate: 5.0, best figures: 2/14

De Villiers had the highest average among the top 15 run-scorers in the 2023-24 WPCA premier league – and strongest strike rate in the top 45 run-scorers. He was key to Claremont Cricket Club’s third-place finish.

5. Jean Strydom (Durbanville Cricket Club)

  • Matches: 20, runs: 779, average: 49, strike rate: 82, highest score: 109 not out

Strydom hit the joint most sixes among the top 15 run-scorers in the 2023-24 WPCA premier league – 24. He was one of only three players to collect seven or more more half-centuries. He had the third best strike rate among the top 10 run-scorers.

Jean Strydom cricket

Jean Strydom.

6. Lenert van Wyk (captain, Rondebosch Cricket Club)

  • Matches: 13, runs: 597, average: 75, strike rate: 83, highest score: 121 not out

Van Wyk missed nine matches in the 2023-24 WPCA premier league, but still finished among the top 20 run-scorers. His 25 sixes were the second most overall – and he captained Rondebosch Cricket Club to the premier league title.

Lenert van Wyk cricket

Lenert van Wyk. ©M. de Lange Photography

7. Fritz de Beer (wicketkeeper, Durbanville Cricket Club)

  • Matches: 22, runs: 847, average: 42, strike rate: 70, highest score: 108

De Beer beat Rylands Cricket Club’s Taariq Chiecktey and Green Point Cricket Club’s Gareth Roderick to be this XI’s designated wicketkeeper. He was one of only three players to collect seven or more more half-centuries in the 2023-24 WPCA premier league.

8. Morne Pentz (Rondebosch Cricket Club)

  • Matches: 21, runs: 504, average: 36, strike rate: 73, highest score: 87 not out | Wickets: 25, average: 18, economy rate: 3.6, best figures: 7/29

This was Pentz’s first season in the WPCA premier league. The seaming all-rounder was one of only three players to hit 500-plus runs and take 25 or more wickets. His seven-wicket haul against Kraaifontein Cricket Club were the best figures overall.

9. Justin Behrens (Western Province Cricket Club)

  • Matches: 22, wickets: 44, average: 20, economy rate: 4.2, best figures: 5/41 | Runs: 190, average: 19, strike rate: 96, highest score: 40

Behrens bettered last season’s second-place finish by topping the wicket-taking ranks in the 2023-24 WPCA premier league. The leg-spinner averaged a relatively prolific two wickets per match this season. His last 40 WPCA premier league appearances have yielded 86 wickets.

Justin Behrens cricket

Justin Behrens.

10. Bradley Petersen (Durbanville Cricket Club)

  • Matches: 22, wickets: 37, average: 20, economy rate: 3.8, best figures: 4/26 | Runs: 145, average: 12, strike rate: 77, highest score: 44

Petersen took the third most wickets in the 2023-24 WPCA premier league. The left-arm spinner had the best average and economy rate among the top five wicket-takers. His 25 maidens were the second most overall.

Brad Petersen cricket

Brad Petersen.

11. Kyle Pluke (Claremont Cricket Club)

  • Matches: 22, wickets: 38, average: 21, economy rate: 4.9, best figures: 4/39

Pluke took the most wickets among seamers – and the second most overall – in the 2023-24 WPCA premier league. The right-arm seamer’s strike rate of 26.5 was the best among the top five bowlers. He had the best average among the top three seamers, too.

12th man: Wesley Bedja (Green Point Cricket Club)

  • Matches: 15, wickets: 33, average: 13, economy rate: 3.7, best figures: 5/12 | Runs: 125, average: 14, strike rate: 105, highest score: 54

Bedja had three entries among the top 10 bowling performances of the 2023-24 WPCA premier league. The right-arm seamer debuted in first-class cricket late last year and was named in Western Province’s T20 squad this year.

WPCA premier league Team of the Season – in summary and batting order

  1. Derek Mitchell
  2. Gavin Kaplan
  3. Christiaan Oberholzer
  4. Matthew de Villiers
  5. Jean Strydom
  6. Lenert van Wyk (captain)
  7. Fritz de Beer (wicketkeeper)
  8. Morne Pentz
  9. Justin Behrens
  10. Bradley Petersen
  11. Kyle Pluke

Remainder of 15-man squad

  • 13. Malcolm Cloete (Milnerton Cricket Club)
  • 14. Ali-Akbar Shaik (Rondebosch Cricket Club)
  • 15. Marcus Fourie (Bellville Cricket Club)

Stats correct as per WebSports: 27 March 2024.

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