Second Season Syndrome

Second Season Syndrome. The idea within sport that a promising first season may be followed by a disappointing second offering.

Such a phenomenon can be put down to a range of reasons. A loss of hype, a feeling of sameness, maybe even a loss of talent.

It may only be a week into the SA20, but it seems as if we have a tournament ready to buck this trend.

Before uttering a word about bat and ball, the SA20 has held onto match-going fans. I put my hands up at this point and acknowledge that a franchise tournament does come with visions of commentary teams screaming about how great the crowd are, but this deserves real credit.

Across all grounds, there are fans in the stands, and more promisingly plenty of merchandise on show. The fastest way to see that a new tournament is struggling is when you realise that no one is especially getting behind a team.

General interest might take you to the odd game, but you need spectators to build an attachment to a side. The Orange Army got plenty of attention in the first edition of the SA20, and they look brighter than ever.

For me, it’s the on-field action which has been most exciting. The key factors here are the overall scores, performances from big names, and performances from breakout players.

Of the seven games that have been started, at least one team has crossed 200 in five of them. Obviously, everyone has a different idea of what ‘good’ T20 cricket is, for me it is a format which demands high-scoring contests.

One of the selling points of a tournament like the SA20 is the action-packed nature of it, this roughly translates to having plenty of boundaries. This season has seen multiple games where players have been challenged to go hard from the off. This is an important factor in engaging the crowd. With plenty of chat about crowd catches, it’s no bad thing that they’re getting so much action.

What has stood out this season too, is the richness of South African talent. First, it is clear how talented South Africa’s first teamers are. Heinrich Klaasen is one of the most must-see white ball players in the world. Rassie van der Dussen hit a sensation hundred. Lungi Ngidi has looked a threat every time he runs in to bowl. Even with the allowance of 4 overseas players, a domestic tournament relies heavily on the quality of players in the host nation.

Where the SA20 benefits is by keeping the tournament down to just 6 teams. The more teams you have, the thinner you spread the talent. This shows the value of keeping things slightly more compact. Each time is filled with recognisable names. Multiple South African internationals are present in each starting eleven, giving the whole thing a healthy dose of star power.

However, it is the depth of talent that stands out. People might tune into Sunrisers Eastern Cape to see Aiden Markram, only to find Jordan Hermann smashing his way to a hundred. A personal highlight has been seeing Mitchell van Buuren get off to an electric start for the Paarl Royals.

There is serious quality all the way through these teams. As important as star power is when it comes to selling a tournament, the biggest names only account for a few players. For a tournament to stand out, it has to be full of players who can step up.

In a time where everyone is trying to establish the next big thing in the world of franchise cricket, the SA20 is edging ahead of the pack. With keen fans and powerhouse performances, there is plenty to get excited about.