MAJOLA, BASSON MAKE HISTORY AT SA20 PLAYER AUCTION

While former Pretoria schoolboys, Dewald Brevis (Affies 2021) and Aiden Markram (Pretoria Boys' High School 2012) made the headlines with their record-breaking price tags at the 2025 SA20 Player Auction, Durban High School's Bayanda Majola and Hoërskool Noordheuwel's JJ Basson also made history.

Right-arm quick Majola and his left-armed South Africa Under-19 strike partner Basson are the first graduates of the Schools SA20 competition to earn a professional SA20 contract.

Majola will be a teammate of the aforementioned Brevis at Pretoria Capitals under the tutelage of legendary former India captain Sourav Ganguly at Centurion. Furthermore, his development as a fast bowler will be aided by former Proteas captain Shaun Pollock, a fellow Durbanite like Majola, who will assist Ganguly during SA20 Season 4. In terms of fast bowling teammates at Capitals, Majola will rub shoulders with Proteas quicks Lungi Ngidi, Lizaad Williams and Codi Yusuf, England seamers Saqib Mahmood and Craig Overton as well as West Indies icon Andre Russell. Gideon Peters, meanwhile, is also a former SA Under-19 star looking to kick on in the upcoming SA20 season.

Majola will hope his SA20 team has better fortunes than 'DHS' did during Schools SA20 Volume 1, when they were defeated in the quarterfinal stage of the KwaZulu-Natal Coastal provincial tournament which marked of Phase 1 of the inaugural tournament.

Meanwhile, Basson's signing is reminiscent of when Royals signed previous SA Under-19 starlet Kwena Maphaka in 2023 while he was still in Grade 11 at St Stithians Boys' College... and it's well-documented how his career-trajectory has skyrocketed (even if they were unable to re-sign him for SA20 Season 4).

Basson’s journey to the big stage began with an outstanding showing in the inaugural edition of Schools SA20. Representing Krugersdorp-based Noordheuwel, he spearheaded their bowling attack during Phase 1 of the Central Gauteng Lions leg of the competition. His tournament-defining performance came in the quarterfinals, where he dismantled South Hub with a remarkable five-wicket haul - before finishing the phase with seven wickets overall.

The Bloemfontein-born Basson further proved his big match temperament in the provincial final against St David's Marist Inanda, contributing a composed 21 off 17 balls during a nervy run chase to secure victory for 'Nories' and claim Phase 1 honours. Unfortunately, he missed the regional second phase where St David's exacted revenge to secure their place in the National Finals but his capping at SA U19 level and now a professional SA20 deal, underscores the Schools SA20 platform’s role in unearthing and accelerating elite talent.

Main images: Cricket South Africa Media