De Kock Named South African Cricketer of Year

Limited-over Captain Quinton de Kock was named South Africa's men's cricketer of the year for the second time on Saturday.

The left-handed De Kock, 27, became South Africa 's best batsman in a year in which the national team won just one of the seven series in all formats.

Wicketkeeper-batsman De Kock was South Africa's leading runner-up in five out of seven series and was the team's top scorer in nine out of 27 innings.

Yet he claimed his highlight of the year was guiding the one-day team to a 3-0 victory in the series against Australia, the only game in which he did not play a significant individual role.

De Kock was also named his country’s Test cricketer of the year and the players’ player of the year. Fast bowler Lungi Ngidi was the one-day international and Twenty20 international player of the year.

De Kock was previously South Africa’s cricketer of the year in 2017.

Laura Wolvaardt, who turned 21 at the end of the season, was named South African cricketer of the year. She was one of the team's battering heroes at the Women's T20 World Cup in Australia. 

The award ceremony was a simulated affair, live streaming owing to the coronavirus pandemic.