Shots and Edges - Sunrisers Eastern Cape
SEC has been busy on the market
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Sunrisers Eastern Cape has released a list of four pre-signed players for the 2025 season of SA20, and in true SEC way, they are not the most sought-after players on the franchise circuit. So, let's take a quick look at their numbers and see where their value lies.
Roelof van der Merwe
Roelof van der Merwe will receive a hero's welcome when he arrives at St George's Park. The Bulldog, as friends call him, was the centrepiece of SEC's title-winning campaign of 2022.
He took 20 wickets in 9 innings at an average of 9.6, boasting an economy of 5.62. He had a strike rate of 10.2. His true wickets are even more impressive. He took 10.39 more wickets than expected at a true economy that was 2 points better than expected. Van der Merwe was so brilliant he conceded 68.02 runs less than expected.
So it was more than a surprise when they didn't pick him at the mini-auction that followed. As it turned out, they could do just as well without him. They romped their way to a second title in two years.
This year is the second year in a row that van der Merwe’s strike rate is below 20. It’s sitting at 16 after 15 T20s. His economy is at 8.92 with an average of 23.8. The Bulldog is a viable spin option whose skill is suited for South African conditions - after all, he grew up and played a lot of cricket here.
Shot.
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Zak Crawley
I am not sure where I stand with Zak Crawley. His stats do not scream elite T20 player. His best year in the format was 2021 when he was part of Kent Spitfires’ title-winning side. The opener scored 380 runs in 12 appearances during the campaign, ending with an impressive strike rate of 150.79.
His showing caught the attention of Big Bash League teams. In the 2022-23 season, he turned out for Hobart Hurricanes, for whom he scored 185 runs in eight outings for an average of 26.4 at a strike rate of 117.8.
 The only true stats I could find on Crawley are from The Hundred, where he has a true average of 1.86 at a true strike rate of -5.03. His true figures are that bad because he had an atrocious 2023 season in the format. He scored 65 runs from 63 deliveries for a true average of -11.07 at a true strike rate of -26.37.
Crawley followed that up with 155 runs off 143 balls in an underwhelming Big Bash League where he averaged 31 at a strike rate of 108.4 for Perth Scorchers.
Crawley’s overall Big Bash League average is 26.33 at a strike rate of 106.04. He is number 25 on the list of opening batters (number 1 and 2) with 150 or more runs. His strike rate is the worst on that list. His figures suggest he is better suited for the longer formats, ODIs and Tests. He will probably play the anchor role and SEC fans will hope he still has the keys to the fifth gear he unlocked for Kent in 2021.
Given that Crawley is an opening batter, does this mean that one of Tom Abell or Dawid Malan won't be retained?
Edge. Possibly a swing and a miss. I hope to be proved wrong.
Craig Overton
In 2022, SEC moneyballed their way to the title. They picked players who were flying under the radar and combined their skill sets to make a formidable team. Craig Overton’s signing feels like that. There is no stampede from teams around the world for his signature, and yet his stats show that he is a plus bowler.
According to available stats from The Hundred, the pacer is above par in all departments. He has true wickets of 1.45, a true economy of 0.04, and conceded 1.53 runs less than expected.
Teams generally like to give him the new ball and he does well with it. Since 2021, the pacer has delivered 139.4 overs in the powerplay at an economy of 7.8, and an average of 22.1 at a strike rate of 17.5. These are good numbers, by all accounts.
He is also a useful middle-overs bowler. Since 2021, Overton has bowled 41.5 overs between the seventh and 15th over for an average of 17.3. Here, he concedes at an economy of 7.5 runs an over and strikes every 13.8 deliveries.
Shot.
David Bedingham - Wildcard Pick
The last time David Bedingham played T20 cricket in South Africa was in 2019, in the final edition of the Mzansi Super League. His campaign was a true reflection of a batter still to reach his prime. He averaged 35.3 at a strike rate of 126.2. After the tournament, he boarded the plane to Durham to start a new chapter.
Over the next three years, 2020, 2021, and 2022, Bedingham’s star shone brightly in red-ball cricket but that did not really transfer to T20s, where he had average returns. He averaged 16.2 at a strike rate of 127.2 in the Vitality Blast. He didn’t play any T20 cricket in 2023.
Everyone who has worked with Bedingham, from school to international cricket, is quick to point out that he is an all-format player. Bedingham has proven them this year. He is averaging 37.5 at a strike rate of 163 in the Vitality Blast. He has a boundary percentage of 4.45. Bedingham is hitting a six every 13.8 balls and a four every 6.57 balls. He boasts an impressive dot ball percentage of 26.1.
As to be expected, Bedingham is averaging 71.5 at a strike rate of 172.3 against pace, while hitting a boundary every 4.15 balls. While he is not as good against spin, he is playing well against spin. This year, he averages 20.5 at a strike rate of 149.1 against the tweakers. He has a boundary percentage of 5.5 and a dot ball percentage of 23.6 against them. Bedingham is not letting spinners tie him down.
His current form has given his overall figures a boost. Bedingham currently averages 21.2 at a strike rate of 135.6 in T20s, with a boundary percentage of 6.35.
Bedingham's arrival adds batting depth to SEC, who have been more of a bowling unit. The potential partnership between Markram and Bedingham in SEC’s middle order is exciting. There is a lot to like about this signing.
Shot.
True stats (true average and true strike rate) used in this article are provided by the good people at Good Areas, who have an outstanding algorithm that compares expected stats to achieved stats based on conditions.