TRISTAN Stubbs was the biggest draw in the first ever SA20 auction, with Sunrisers Eastern Cape forking out R 9.2 million for the 22-year-old’s services.

Stubbs was at the centre of a fervent bidding war that began with MI Cape Town, the sister franchise of his IPL team, staying firm until R 4.3 million before letting Sunrisers and the Joburg Super Kings battle for the youngster.

MI returned after the R 7 million mark but Sunrisers, entrenched in the battle, held firm to land the player. It marks a whirlwind six-month period for Stubbs, who earned an IPL call-up as a replacement player, after turning heads at the CSA T20 Challenge in 2022 where he struck his 293 runs at a strike-rate of 183.82. Stubbs has since made his South Africa debut in the format and has been named in the Proteas squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia.

Sunrisers, who along with Pretoria Capitals began the day with the biggest purse (R 28.05 million), also made a big splash to sign lanky pace-bowler Marco Jansen for R 6.1 million while the Capitals signed explosive batter Rilee Rossouw with the second-highest bid of R 6.9 million after staving off interests from the Super Kings and MI Cape Town.

The Capitals also made a late swoop to sign Wayne Parnell for R 5.6 million ahead of the Joburg Super Kings, who had looked set to sign the left-arm seamer. JSK were also prized out of signing Sisanda Magala, who went to the Sunrisers for R 5.4 million.

The auction began with the marquee XX player-list with paceman Lungi Ngidi becoming the first player to go under the hammer. Paarl Royals, who signed him for R 3.4 million, also made a second signing instantly thereafter by signing the former No.1 T20I spinner Tabraiz Shamsi for R 4.3 million. Heinrich Klaasen (R 4.5M) and Dwaine Pretorius (R 4.1M) were the other two players to breach the four million mark in the opening round, both players signed by Durban’s Super Giants.

Hard-hitting West Indian all-rounder Odean Smith, who entered the auction at a base price of R 1.75 Million, found no takers. Eoin Morgan, James Neesham were other big name players that earned no bids when they were originally presented to the teams in the auction, alongside South Africa’sT20I captain Temba Bavuma and Test captain Dean Elgar.

Other notable signings
Reeza Hendricks – Joburg Super Kings – R 4.5M

Rassie vd Dussen – MI Cape Town – R 3.9M

George Linge – MI Cape Town – R 3.9M

Duan Jansen – MI Cape Town – R 3.3M

Janeman Malan – Joburg Super Kings – R 2.7M

Keshav Maharaj – Durban’s Super Giants – R 2.5M

Adil Rashid – Pretoria Capitals – R 2.4M

Alzarri Joseph – Joburg Super Kings – R 2.1M

Harry Brook – Joburg Super Kings – R 2.1M

Phil Salt – Pretoria Capitals – R 2M

Jason Roy – Paarl Royals – R 1.5M (Cricbuzz)