Lorcan Tucker and John Turner Join Paarl Royals for SA20 Season 2

Paarl Royals Welcome Lorcan Tucker and John Turner for SA20 Season 2

As the highly anticipated Season 2 of South Africa’s T20 league, SA20, approaches, Paarl Royals, owned by the Royals Sports Group, have successfully assembled a formidable squad of 19 players to represent them in this exciting cricket competition commencing on January 10, 2024.

The first addition to the squad was South African-born English talent, John Turner, who was secured at the Auction. The 22-year-old pacer from Hampshire was picked up for his base price of R425,000. Turner made his T20 debut earlier this year for Hampshire and impressed cricket enthusiasts with his performance at The Hundred while playing for the Trent Rockets, where he recorded figures of 1/22 with an economical bowling rate of 6.60 on his debut.

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Adding to the roster’s strength, experienced Ireland international Lorcan Tucker was another notable acquisition by the Royals, secured at his base price of R175,000. At 27 years old, Tucker brings a wealth of T20 experience to the team. He made his T20I debut for Ireland in 2016 and has since amassed over a thousand runs in 59 matches, showcasing a strike rate of 123.53. Additionally, he has 55 dismissals to his name as a wicketkeeper-batsman.

The final selection of the day brought in promising 17-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, who joined the franchise as a Rookie signing in the Draft. Pretorius has already been part of the South African Under-19 team and the South African Emerging Team. He recently made his List A debut, making an impact with a rapid 57 off 45 balls.

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With these three signings at the Auction, Paarl Royals are set to enter Season 2 of SA20 with a well-rounded squad that combines proven experience and youthful talent. The team boasts prominent names such as England skipper Jos Buttler, South African stalwarts David Miller, Tabraiz Shamsi, and Lungi Ngidi, in addition to the acquisitions of Jason Roy, Obed McCoy, and Fabian Allen. This collective talent will kick off their SA20 2024 campaign on January 12, 2024, as they face the Pretoria Capitals at Boland Park, the Royals’ home ground.

Paarl Royals’ squad also features a core group of talented South African players, including Bjorn Fortuin, Andile Phehlukwayo, Wihan Lubbe, Dane Vilas, Mitchell van Buuren, Ferisco Adams, Codi Yusuf, Evan Jones, and Kwena Maphaka.