Sunrisers Eastern Cape
{{short description|Port Elizabeth-based franchise cricket team of SA20}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox cricket team
| name = Sunrisers Eastern Cape
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| image =
| logo_image = Sunrisers_Eastern_Cape_Logo.svg
| captain = Aiden Markram
| coach = Adrian Birrell
| bowling_coach =
| city = Gqeberha
| league= SA20
| colors = Orange
| owner = SUN Group
|ceo=Kavya Maran
| founded = {{Start date and age|2022}}
| ground = St George's Park Cricket Ground, Gqeberha
| first_t20 = v. Pretoria Capitals at St George's Park Cricket Ground, Gqeberha; 10 January 2023
| capacity =19,000
|current=2025 Sunrisers Eastern Cape season
|title1=SA20|title1wins= 2 (2023, 2024)
| website = https://www.sa20.co.za/team/sunrisers-eastern-cape/
| t_pattern_la = _sec_sa20
| t_pattern_b = _sec_sa20
| t_pattern_ra = _sec_sa20
| t_pattern_pants =
| t_leftarm = FF6600
| t_body = FF6600
| t_rightarm = FF6600
| t_pants = 000000
| t_title = T20 kit
}}
Sunrisers Eastern Cape is a South African professional Twenty20 franchise cricket team that competes in the SA20 tournament.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/cricket-south-africa-announces-new-six-team-franchise-based-t20-competition-1312731|title=Cricket South Africa announces new six-team franchise-based T20 competition|website=ESPNcricinfo}} The team is based in Gqeberha, and was formed in 2022. The team's home-ground is St George's Park Cricket Ground. The team is coached by Adrian Birrell.{{Cite web|url=https://cricket.co.za/2022/04/29/t20-comes-home-as-csa-and-supersport-announce-grand-new-event/|title=Cricket South Africa | T20 Comes Home as Csa and Supersport Announce Grand New Event}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/south-africas-new-sa20-league-to-begin-on-january-10-1337937|title=Inaugural SA20 league to begin on January 10|website=ESPNcricinfo}} The franchise is owned by the Indian SUN Group.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/ipl-franchise-owners-buy-all-six-teams-in-south-africas-new-t20-league-1325425|title=IPL franchise owners buy all six teams in South Africa's new T20 league|website=ESPNcricinfo}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/cricket/news-sa20-2024-sunrisers-eastern-cape-complete-players-list-ft-aiden-markram-temba-bavuma|title=SA20 2024: Sunrisers Eastern Cape complete players list ft. Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma|website=ESPNcricinfo}}
Franchise history
In August 2022, Cricket South Africa announced the establishment of the SA20, a Twenty20 Cricket competition to be started in 2023. The teams for the competition, representing six cities, including the Eastern Cape, were put up on auction in September 2022. The Eastern Cape franchise was purchased by Sun Group.{{cite web |title=DEFENDING CHAMPIONS' NEWBIES EAGER TO THRILL ORANGE ARMY |url=https://www.sa20.co.za/news/sec-newbies-eager-to-thrill-orange-army |website=sa20.co.za}}
=2023 season=
They were the champions of the first season of the tournament after they beat Pretoria Capitals by four wickets in the final at the Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg. Having successfully lead the team to their inaugural SA20 title, Markram was later appointed as the captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad for the 2023 season of the IPL.{{cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/sunrisers-hyderabad-appoint-aiden-markram-as-captain-ahead-of-ipl-2023-101677131017584.html |title=Sunrisers Hyderabad appoint Aiden Markram as captain ahead of IPL 2023|work=Hindustan Times|date=23 February 2023 |access-date=23 February 2023}}
=2024 season=
The Sunrisers defended their title to become champions for a second time. They beat Durban's Super Giants by 89 runs in the final at Cape Town.{{citation |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/sa20-booming-as-sunrisers-do-the-business-again-1420645 |title=SA20 booming as Sunrisers do the business again |website=ESPNcricinfo}}
=2025 season=
The season started poorly, with the Sunrisers losing their first three games, and after four games they were bottom of the log. However, they finished strongly, ending in third place and qualifying for the Eliminator.
In the knockout rounds, they defeated Joburg Super Kings in the Eliminator and then Paarl Royals in the 2nd Qualifier. However, they were comprehensively defeated by MI Cape Town in the final.{{Cite web |date=2025-02-09 |title='Baby AB' Drewald Brevis takes MI Cape Town to first-ever SA20 title, one six at a time |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/news/baby-ab-drewald-brevis-takes-mi-cape-town-to-first-ever-sa20-title-one-six-at-a-time/articleshow/118074466.cms |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=The Times of India}}
Statistics
=Most runs=
| class="wikitable" | ||||||
| Player
!Match !Runs !Batting average !High score !100s !50s | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | Aiden Markram | 36 | 967 | 34.53 | 100 | 1 | 5 |
| | Tristan Stubbs | 36 | 723 | 32.86 | 66* | 0 | 3 |
| | Jordan Hermann | 30 | 666 | 25.61 | 106* | 1 | 3 |
| | Tom Abell | 23 | 502 | 27.88 | 65 | 0 | 4 |
| | Marco Jansen | 35 | 486 | 28.58 | 71* | 0 | 3 |
=Most wickets=
| class="wikitable" | |||
| Player
!Wickets !Bowling average !Best bowling | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| | Marco Jansen | 47 | 19.38 | 5/30 |
| | Ottniel Baartman | 41 | 15.92 | 4/10 |
| | Liam Dawson | 22 | 22.54 | 3/17 |
| | Roelof van der Merwe | 20 | 9.55 | 6/20 |
| | Daniel Worrall | 17 | 17.88 | 3/20 |
| | Aiden Markram | 17 | 21.82 | 2/7 |
Administration and support staff
| class="wikitable" | |
| Position
!Name | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Adrian Birrell |
| Assistant coach | Baakier Abrahams |
| Batting coach | Russell Domingo |
| Bowling coach | Dale Steyn |
| Fielding coach | Ryan Cook |
Seasons
= Seasons =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
!Year !League standing !Final standing |
| 2023
|3rd out of 6 | style="background: Gold;" |Champions |
|---|
| 2024
|1st out of 6 | style="background: Gold;" |Champions |
| 2025
|3rd out of 6 | style="background: Silver;" |Runners up |
- {{color box|border=darkgray|gold}} C: champions
- {{color box|border=darkgray|silver}} RU: runner-up
- {{color box|border=darkgray|cfc}} SF team qualified for the semi-final stage of the competition
= Season summary =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
!Year !Played !Wins !Losses !Tied/NR |
| 2023
|12 |6 |5 |1 |
|---|
| 2024
|12 |9 |2 |1 |
| 2025
|13 |7 |6 |0 |
| colspan="5" |Source: ESPNCricinfo{{Cite web|title=SA20 Records - Sunrisers Eastern Cape |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/trophy/sa20-987?team=6990 |website=ESPNCricinfo}} |
Note:
- NR indicates No result.
- Abandoned matches are indicated as no result.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.sa20.co.za/team/sunrisers-eastern-cape/ Sunrisers section] at the SA20 website.
{{SA20}}
Category:Cricket in South Africa
Category:2022 establishments in South Africa
Category:Cricket clubs established in 2022
Category:Sports clubs and teams in South Africa
{{South African-cricket-team-stub}}