Sunrisers Eastern Cape paceman Okuhle Cele, is turning out to be a source of inspiration for any young fast bowler as he is set to return to action after a big break, picked in the defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape squad in the auction for Season 3 of SA20 T20 tournament.
The 27-year-old was at the peak of his powers when he received a maiden call-up to the Proteas Men’s T20I team for a tour to Pakistan back in 2021. But, instead of it being the springboard to launch his career, Cele suffered major injuries in the aftermath and spent more than a year and a half on the sidelines undergoing rehabilitation.
Furthermore, it prompted a move back home to the Dolphins from the Titans, as Cele looked to return to the basics that had earmarked him as one of the most promising fast bowlers in the country since making his first-class debut as a teenager fresh out of Glenwood High School.
Cele was committed to making a comeback and spent the entire 2023 winter with the Cricket SA National Academy and SA Emerging XI, along with doing extra work in the gym during an elongated pre-season, to ensure his body was in peak physical condition when he returned to action.
The hard work and resilience were rewarded with Cele enjoying an injury-free 2023/24 season, where he went on to deliver spectacular performances across formats, which included topping the wicket-takers list with 17 scalps at an average of 19.88 and an economy of 8.14 for the Dolphins in the CSA T20 Challenge.
Cele was then honoured with the CSA T20 Challenge Player of the Year, Players’ Player of the Year and Player of the Year prizes at the end-of-season Dolphins Awards. It certainly did not go unnoticed, with back-to-back SA20 champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape wasting no time in adding Cele to their roster at Tuesday’s auction in Cape Town.
“I watched the auction at home alone. So, it was pretty awkward…should I scream or should I stay silent,” Cele, whose favourite superhero is Spiderman, said. “I am a bit overwhelmed. I was caught off guard. I was hopeful because the auction is like a game of luck. So, when my name came up … I was like ‘Please can I get in here?’
“And then luckily, I got into the Sunrisers, so I’m really grateful. My brother called me. He was the first person to call me. He was very excited for me. And then the family also called,” he said.
Despite being a Durban local, Cele is excited that he is heading down to Gqeberha and joining the successful Sunrisers outfit, where he will join up with good friends Ottneil Baartman and Andile Simelane.
“For me, it was always the Sunrisers. Obviously, I am from Durban, so the (Durban’s) Super Giants would also have been a nice addition,” he said. “But I think the Sunrisers, just the human beings that are there.”
Cele says he cannot wait to charge in at St George’s Park with the famous brass band in full voice behind him.
“You know with our normal domestic cricket we don’t get as big crowds as SA20, so I think for the younger guys the experience of playing in front of big crowds is big,” he said. “And obviously being around the overseas and international players is a big honour for us. You can see that the band is a big driver inside the stadium. I am looking forward to playing in front of one of the best crowds in South Africa. I am excited,” he said.
Season 3 of the competition will get underway on January 9, 2025, when Sunrisers Eastern Cape and the Orange Army host MI Cape Town at St George’s Park.
Full List of Betway SA20 Auction buys:
MI Cape Town: Reeza Hendricks (R4.3m), Colin Ingram (R175 000); Dane Piedt (R175 000) Tristan Luus (Rookie)
Pretoria Capitals: Evin Lewis (R1.5m), Marques Ackerman (R800 000), Kyle Simmons (R175 000), Keegan-Lion Cache (Rookie)
Paarl Royals: Rubin Hermann (R175 000) Dewan Marais (Rookie)
Joburg Super Kings: Wihan Lubbe (R175 000), Evan Jones (R175 000) Doug Bracewell (R175 000), JP King (Rookie)
Sunrisers Eastern Cape: Okuhle Cele (R175 000), Richard Gleeson (R2.3m), Daniel Smith (Rookie)
Durban’s Super Giants: Shamar Joseph (R425 000), CJ King (Rookie)