Exclusive: Chris Morris predicts record-breaking SA20 Auction

Former Proteas all-rounder and now commentator, Chris Morris, believes that records will be broken in the SA20 Auction on Tuesday as the likes of Aiden Markram, Matthew Breetzke, and Dewald Brevis are among the names that will go under the hammer.

Records will be broken?

Proteas and Sunrisers Eastern Cape batter Tristan Stubbs still holds the current record for the most expensive auction player purchase in the history of the SA20 League.

The 25-year-old went for a massive R9.2 million during the inaugural season of the SA20, a record that Morris believes will be broken on Tuesday when the auction for the fourth edition of the tournament will take place.

This year, Aiden Markram will also go under the hammer, and Morris expects him to be the new record purchase given that the 30-year-old has won back-to-back SA20 trophies, captaining the Sunrisers Eastern Cape and finished as runners-up in the third edition of the tournament.

Morris expects young batters Dewald Brevis and Matthew Breetzke to also secure big contracts, as the two batters have taken the world by storm, having enjoyed recent success in international cricket.

“I definitely think it's going to be a record. I think there are two teams that are probably lining Aiden up the most. Everybody's leaning towards Pretoria Capitals because he is a local and they need a captain and they've probably got the most money,” Morris told SportsBoom.co.za in an exclusive interview.  

“But I do think that the Durban Super Giants are going to pull a quick one. I think they might be the team to beat in terms of the auction to get Aiden's signature. But in saying that, with teams who've got a lot of money left, anything can happen. 

“I think the Sunrisers can't afford him. But I think they'll be blown out of the water in terms of the price that he's going to go for. But I think he's probably the name that's on everyone's lips. 

“You also can't look past a guy like Brevis. I think Brevis is also on the radar of the Pretoria Capitals, a local boy as well. He's young, so they can build for the future with him and potentially a future captain of the Capitals. 

“Same thing with Breetzke. You've got a lot of batters that are going to be lined up. Breetzke, at the moment, is in red-hot form. 

“Then there’s (Kwena) Mapaka, (Quinton) de Kock, you've got all the players that are currently in form, including Wiaan Mulder, that are available. So look, when it comes to the auction, it's fascinating to see the tactics that the teams will have. Because obviously, there'll be a little bit of tactics involved in trying to spend people's money for them.

“It’s going to be an absolute feeding frenzy. It's the only way I can describe tomorrow's auction. The blood's going to be in the water, and whoever's the strongest shot is going to grab. I do believe records are going to be broken.”

More packed stadiums

For the first time, the SA20 will take place in a new window as the first game is set to get underway on Boxing Day at the picturesque Newlands Stadium in Cape Town, where the defending champions MI Cape Town and Durban’s Super Giants will get the tournament started.

Morris expects more packed stadiums all around the country as the majority of the country will be on holiday already.

“I expect it to be a lot more packed in terms of the crowds. I mean, we've seen some ridiculous crowds over the last three seasons, and I saw the report this morning, it's been up to 75% of attendance. But I think it's going to be even bigger this year just because of the timing of the year,” said Morris.  

“We are lucky and unlucky that there's no international cricket over December. But the fact that it's happening slightly earlier, you've got a lot more people.

“People are coming to see the best players. They want to come out and watch the biggest names do it on an international stage. And the fact that we've got it in our country in such a nice time of the year, I think that's going to be the best part.

“You've got your core players that the teams have kept, but it’s going to be interesting to see how the new players and different teams come together. Hopefully, a different team stands up and gets into the final this year, because it's been quite consistent in terms of who the top teams have been.

“So, the shuffle of players, it's going to be interesting to see the support base, how they change. Will people stick with the same team they supported, with the biggest players moving on to different teams?”