Janneman Malan

Much of that recognition came from his work for North West. Playing in the Sunfoil Three-Day Cup, he compiled 1046 runs, and he added another 500 in the One-Day Challenge. His averages tell a similar story across both formats: around 55 in first-class matches and better than 50 in List-A games. Numbers of that kind drew the attention of the Cobras, who brought him into their squad for the 2018-19 season.

Malan's path to senior cricket ran through several representative sides. He turned out for North West University and featured for Northerns at both Under 17 and Under 19 level, before going on to wear South African colours with the national Under 19 team.

During 2018, across first-class and List-A cricket, he produced a run of substantial innings. Among his better efforts were an unbeaten 131, a hundred of 116, and further scores of 91, 83, 69 and 68, along with an undefeated 66. He is regarded as a batsman with a broad range of strokes and a habit of scoring reliably, qualities that have led some to see him as a possible candidate for the Proteas, particularly in Test cricket.