1. TEAM OF THE YEAR
International: Proteas
The start of 2016 did not bode well for the Proteas. A home Test series defeat to England, followed by a World T20 group exit and a poor showing in the Tri-Series in the Caribbean suggested the team were in a downward spiral. But since July the Proteas have turned the corner in sensational fashion.
A home Test series win over New Zealand was added to a 3-2 ODI victory over England at the beginning of the year. The latter was particularly special after the Proteas had trailed 2-0 with three matches to play. However, South Africa kept their best for last with some spectacular performances against Australia home and away under the new leadership of Faf du Plessis.
The Aussies were whitewashed 5-0 in the ODI series before the two great rivals locked horns again in the Test series Down Under a few weeks later, with the Proteas emerging 2-1 victors. It was South Africa’s third consecutive Test series victory on Australian soil which matched the great West Indian sides of the 1980s and 90s.
Indian fans will contest this award as Virat Kohli’s team have been magnificent at home, especially in their recent encounters with England, but South Africa once again showed they are the only team capable of winning on the road.
Domestic: Titans
Just like their Tshwane football neighbours, Mamelodi Sundowns, the men from the Hennops River dominated the South African domestic scene.
They claimed the Sunfoil Series in sensational fashion at the end of last season in Paarl and even a change of coach during the winter from Rob Walter to former Proteas wicket-keeper Mark Boucher did nothing to change or halt the momentum at SuperSport Park.
In fact, it was only a further boost with Boucher lifting the intensity of the side even more. This was certainly prevalent during the T20 Challenge, with the Titans claiming the title for the second year running in front of a packed house.
The sight of medium-pacer Malusi Siboto holding his nerve in a pressure-filled last over and then embracing his grandmother in the crowd, will forever be one of 2016’s great sporting moments.
Boucher also managed to get the best out of the much-criticised Farhaan Behardien, with the Proteas all-rounder enjoying a memorable series. At the half-way stage of the Sunfoil Series the Titans are also leading the pack in defence of their trophy.
2. COACH OF THE YEAR
Phil Simmons
It might seem strange that the individual who wins this award was sacked from his position as head coach of the West Indies in September, but Phil Simmons remains my choice.
The West Indies Cricket Board fired the former all-rounder due to “differences in culture and strategic approach”, but it could not be better interpreted by former captain Darren Sammy who said “If the blind leads the blind they are bound to fall in a pit” in reference to the WICB.
Simmons was the one man - along with Sammy - who was able to get the best out of the Windies’ host of T20 “rebels” and most importantly get a room full of massive egos all focused and channelling their energies into one direction.
It resulted in a momentous World T20 victory in India, where the Caribbean team won their second World T20 title. The Windies are in a poorer state without Simmons at the helm.
3. “REMEMBER THE NAME” AWARD
Carlos Brathwaite
Sammy had issued a warning ahead of the World T20 group match against South Africa that “the world hasn’t seen Carlos Brathwaite yet”.
A six in Kagiso Rabada’s final over to knock the Proteas out was a glimpse of Brathwaite’s immense power, but it could not have prepared anyone for what was to come. In a pulsating final in Kolkata, the Windies required 19 runs from Ben Stokes’ last over.
Mission impossible? Not for Brathwaite, who clubbed the England all-rounder for four consecutive sixes into the raucous Eden Gardens crowd to take his team over the line. It was an incredible performance for a player who possibly would not even have been on the park had superstar Kieron Pollard not been ruled out through injury. The world now certainly knows who Brathwaite is.
4. THE KEVIN COSTNER “BODYGUARD” AWARD
Zunaid Wadee
The martial arts expert must have been a fan of the 1992 thriller featuring American actor Kevin Costner playing the lead role in “The Bodyguard” with his client being singer Rachel Marron, who was played by superstar Whitney Houston.
The Proteas security officer earned instant fame on South Africa’s tour of Australia when he shoulder barged and pushed a Channel Nine Network reporter Will Crouch into a glass window pane at Adelaide Airport after the reporter had harassed captain Du Plessis. Costner would have been proud of Wadee’s work and could be a stage double should a sequel be made anytime soon.
5. DISNEY’S FROZEN “LET IT GO” ALREADY AWARD
Alviro Petersen
After initially claiming to be the “whistleblower” on the domestic T20 match-fixing scandal, the former Proteas opener was banned for two years by Cricket South Africa after admitting to 13 breaches of the anti-corruption code.
But even after being issued his ban Petersen has gone on live television professing his innocence and stated that “I wasn’t too aware on how to deal with it” even though he was an international cricketer for close on a decade and had previously played in ICC events where the anti-corruption unit would have explained all the procedures relating to reporting anything suspicious in detail.
6. THE TURNCOAT AWARD
Dave Richardson
The ICC chief executive was South Africa’s first wicketkeeper post-isolation for seven years and represented his country with distinction. Since then though, it has certainly seemed as if Richardson - a lawyer by profession - has forgotten he was once an integral part of the Proteas outfit.
CSA boss Haroon Lorgat was quick to remind his successor at the ICC headquarters that he too was part of South Africa’s “ball shining brigade” during his playing days, after Richardson had charged Proteas Du Plessis with ball-tampering after the skipper was caught shining the ball with a mint in his mouth in the second Test against Australia at the Bellerive Oval.
7. THE WALT WHITMAN “O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!" AWARD
Faf du Plessis
The Proteas skipper deserves the key to whichever city he wants in South Africa for in conjunction with coach Russell Domingo, Du Plessis has transformed the fortunes of the national cricket side. He has withstood numerous challenging factors to come out triumphant on the other side.
The “Mintgate” scandal Down Under was obviously the biggest and the way Du Plessis responded with a superlative century under the immense glare of the Australian media and public - there were boos ringing in his ears at the Adelaide Oval even after reaching three figures - was arguably the definitive moment of South African cricket for 2016.
It’s not just on the field that Du Plessis has been a revelation, but inside the confines of the dressing-room “Captain Funky” has changed the culture of a team that now looks like they are enjoying their cricket again after a turbulent end to 2015.
8. THE ZERO TO HERO AWARD
Russell Domingo
The night of 24 June 2016, Domingo would have sat in the Kensington Oval change-room in Barbados wondering if he had just been in charge of his last match as Proteas head coach. His team had just been crushed by the West Indies by 100 runs and would not advance to the final of the Tri-Series.
This was on the back of losing South Africa’s proud away Test record the previous year in India, defeated at home by England and an inglorious World T20 group stage exit. Somehow the CSA "suits" kept faith with Domingo and it has proved an immeasurable successful decision.
Since that fateful evening, Domingo has steered the Proteas to Test series wins over New Zealand (home) and Australia (away) and whitewashed the Aussies 5-0 in an ODI series at home. He will now sleep much easier heading into 2017 and begin plotting another attempt at an elusive ICC title when the Champions Trophy gets underway in England in June.
9. THE DONALD TRUMP AWARD
The Australian media
There is no hype like Aussie media hype and it was displayed in all its glory during South Africa’s Test tour there. The way the Channel Nine network, and specifically reporter Will Crouch, and the Fox Sports Channel went to town with the Du Plessis “Mintgate” saga was incredible.
Even the notorious Indian media sat back and could not believe the lengths their counterparts from Down Under would go to sensationalise a story.
The crazy part was that it was so well presented on all forms of media, from social to prime time television news, that it held up as fact. The major pity in the whole drama was that the Proteas fuelled the fire at various times, notably through the bizarre Hashim Amla press conference at the MCG and the ugly incident at the Adelaide Airport.
10. QUOTE OF THE YEAR
“Forget about Faf. Those pies are damn expensive.”
Domingo often leaves the press room with something for the media to think about, but his one-liner ahead of the day-night Test at the Adelaide Oval was out of the top draw.
With everyone engrossed in Du Plessis’ “Mintgate” escapades, the Proteas coach reminded everyone there were more important things to be concerned about.