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Odean Smith: The standard of the SA20 has been amazing

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Thursday, 2 February: MI Cape Town’s Odean Smith follows in the long line of blockbuster West Indian T20 all-rounders and the Jamaican has had a similar dynamic impact on the first round of the Betway SA20.

Smith hails from Kingston, the same town as T20 legend Andre “Dr Dre” Russell, and plays the game with a similar exuberance and style.

The 26-year-old has run in hard for MI Cape Town and picked up seven wickets already in just five games and is an integral part of the Newlands-based team.

He believes the work done behind the scenes with MI Cape Town’s New Zealand bowling coach Jacob Oram has set him up nicely for success in South Africa.

“Everyone has been so welcoming. The coaches have been great. The environment has been spectacular,” Smith said.

“I’ve talked a lot to him (Oram) about the bowling aspects of my game. That’s probably why I’ve done so well in these conditions.”

Smith, who once struck five successive sixes in the Caribbean Premier League, has not yet fired with the willow as yet, but a move up the coast to Kingsmead where MI Cape Town resume their campaign against Durban’s Super Giants on Thursday could just be the kickstart he needs.

“It sounds exciting, it’s a challenge I am up for,” Smith said. “ I came here to win. It has been taking some time to come off. Hopefully I can get a few training sessions in to see what’s gone wrong, and for the next few games you guys can probably see some big ones.”

With experience of playing in the Caribbean Premier League, Indian Premier League and Pakistan Super League already, Smith is well-versed to judge the playing standard of the inaugural Betway SA20.

He has been suitably impressed with what has been delivered by all six teams, and also by the amount of supporters that have come through the turnstiles.

“It has been of a really high standard. There have been some good teams. They’ve been giving us a fight. The standard of the competition has been amazing. I’ve been really enjoying it, especially the different conditions.

“It has been amazing (the crowds). They have come out and supported us and made a lot of noise.”

About Betway SA20  

Betway SA20 is a six-team franchise T20 League operating under the auspices of Cricket South Africa. Cricket South Africa is the governing body of all cricket in South Africa.

Upcoming Fixtures 

02 February  

Durban’s Super Giants vs MI Cape Town

Kingsmead

17h30

Cricket came to South Africa during the Napoleonic Wars and with the British forces occupying South Africa. The first match recorded was in 1808 in Cape Town between two service teams, for a prize of one thousand rix-dollars.

The oldest cricket club in South Africa is the Port Elizabeth Cricket Club, founded in 1843. Few clubs in the world can boast such a long existence. The first championship was held in Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha) in 1876 for the “champion bat.” Competing teams were Cape Town, Grahamstown, King Williams Town, and Port Elizabeth (now Gqeberha). It was won by King Williams Town and the year after that too.

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.