‘I’m doing something right’ – Rabada on six-award night

Kagiso Rabada is the best bowler in the MRF Tyres ICC Test Player Rankings, and that was reflected in the Cricket South Africa (CSA) awards function on Saturday, when he went home with six trophies.

Rabada, 23, won the awards for Cricketer of the Year, Players’ Player of the Year, Test Cricketer of the Year, ODI Cricketer of the Year, Fans Player of the Year, and the Delivery of the Year for the ball he dismissed David Warner with in the third Test at Newlands earlier this year.

It wasn’t a surprise. Since the start of 2017, Rabada has picked up 95 wickets in 18 Tests at an average of 20.03 and 32 wickets in 23 one-day internationals at 30.87.

“I am grateful and honoured to have received these awards,” he said. “It means I'm doing something right. I'm glad to have done it for the team and for the country. It felt good to do what I did, but at the same time, I really do think that the whole team contributed. If you look at the Test matches we played, whenever we were in trouble, there was always someone different who bailed us out.

“There were guys like Aiden (Markram) and AB (de Villiers) and Dean (Elgar), who were consistent, but if you look at the roles that other guys played like a Keshav (Maharaj), like a Temba (Bavuma), like a Quinny (Quinton de Kock) at Newlands. Those guys are not getting too much recognition, but when you are in the changing room you see it all. I just feel like everyone contributed.”

Fantastically as Rabada has bowled, there have been occasions when his on-field behaviour has come under scrutiny, most recently in the Test series against Australia at home, which South Africa won 3-1.

“There’s certain things that happened to me, some good and some bad, which I have taken note of and made a conscious effort to improve on them, whether it be on the cricket field or just in my life,” he said. “That’s where I am at the moment, just trying to build on from last season and trying to be ruthless by bringing this on in the new season.”

The big winner among the women was Dane van Niekerk, the South Africa captain.

Van Niekerk ranks among the best bowlers and all-rounders in the world in limited-overs cricket, and since the start of 2017, has 443 runs and 36 wickets in 25 ODIs and 222 runs and two wickets in seven T20Is. She has also led her team well, taking them to the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017.

But she isn’t sure she is the most deserving recipient of the Women’s Cricketer of the Year award, saying, “The award was totally unexpected. I don’t like to single out people, but I thought Laura Wolvaardt deserved it more considering the season she had. She did win two of the other big awards, but I reckon I’ll give this to the whole team. We had a very successful year.”

Wolvaardt, the 19-year-old opening batter who averages 48.60 in ODIs, did win the ODI Player of the Year award and the one chosen by her peers. “Mature is the word, she’s mature beyond her years. She’s in the side at an early age and she knows her job perfectly,” said van Niekerk. “It’s really exciting to watch her bat and we know what we get when she goes out there. Her consistency is insane, it’s just awesome to watch her bat.

“When you watch the videos of her going about her business, you just realise what a talent she is and what she has the potential to achieve. No doubt these awards are the first of many that will come her way.”

South Africa came close at the last World Cup, before losing by two wickets to England, the eventual champions, in Bristol with just two balls left in the game.

“The days where we use to win maybe one out of three games is done,” said van Niekerk. “We’ve got players in the top 10 or 20 in both one-day and T20 cricket. We have a right to win now. We’ve worked hard to earn it.

“It’s always been the big three, but we’re here to change that mindset now. As a team, everyone bought into it before the World Cup. It was amazing, we had that movement of always rising.”