Cricket South Africa (CSA) has unveiled the nominees for the annual CSA Awards in recognition of ‘A Summer to Celebrate’ from an unforgettable 2022-23 season.

Temba Bavuma, Aiden Markram, Anrich Nortje, and David Miller all feature prominently among the men’s nominees for the 2023 CSA Awards, while Nonkululeko Mlaba, Marizanne Kapp, Laura Wolvaardt, and Shabnim Ismail are top contenders in the women’s section.

The 2023 CSA Awards will be held on 7 July at Vodaworld, Midrand, at the first in-person ceremony post-COVID-19 lockdowns. The event recognises leading performers in cricket from this past season.

A host of professional awards for both the national and domestic levels will be presented in the evening at a glittering ceremony which will be broadcast on SuperSport, while several nominees have also been confirmed for a variety of pathway awards that will be handed out on the morning of 7 July.

Proteas Men Test and One-Day International (ODI) captain, Bavuma has been nominated in no less than four categories including the SA Men’s Player of the Year, ODI and Test Player of the Year.

T20 International (T20) captain Markram, Nortje, and Miller are also in contention for the SA Men’s Player of the Year award, with the latter competing for both the T20 and ODI Player of the Year accolades after another memorable white-ball season.

Markram also enjoyed a stunning return to form during the 2022-23 season, and features in the SA Fans’ Player of the Year, Test Player of the Year and ODI Player of the Year categories.

Meanwhile, with ball in hand, Nortje was the beating heart behind so much of the Proteas’ success last season, as reflected by the fact that the fast bowler powered into the top 10 of the ICC T20I bowling rankings. The 29-year-old has cracked the nod in four categories.

With the future of the Proteas certainly looking bright, youngsters Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi and Tristan Stubbs have notably been nominated for International Men’s Newcomer of the Year.

One of the greatest celebrations from the past ‘Summer of Cricket’ saw the inspirational Proteas Women unforgettably progress to the final of the ICC T20 Women’s World Cup 2023 in South Africa, and there is sure to be immense competition among the four women’s awards categories.

Shabnim Ismail, who recently announced her retirement after an illustrious career, played a central role in that unforgettable World Cup campaign, and is nominated for four awards – including the SA Women’s Player of the Year. That coveted category includes other star performers, namely Laura Wolvaardt, Marizanne Kapp and Nonkululeko Mlaba.

Kapp has also earned inclusion in the Women’s T20 and ODI International Player of the Year categories, while Mlaba is a nominee for the T20 Player of the Year.

Mlaba, Wolvaardt and Ismail feature additionally among other teammates in the special Fans’ Player of the Year category, which also includes Sisanda Magala, Bavuma, Markram, Nortje and Kagiso Rabada (who is also in the running for the Men’s Test Player of the Year).

On the domestic scene, there were a host of competitive and entertaining encounters this past season, and the likes of Beyers Swanepoel, Bamanye Xenxe, Stefan Tait, Jordan Hermann, Ryan Rickelton and Tony De Zorzi are contenders in a couple of key categories.

This year’s judging panel for the CSA Awards consisted of Ashwell Prince (former Protea), Crystal Arnold (SuperSport presenter and producer), Patrick Moroney (CSA Selector), cricket reporters Firdose Moonda and Khanyiso Tshwaku, with CSA statistician, Andrew Samson completing the panel.

“It is an absolute honour to congratulate all the nominees for the 2022-23 CSA Awards,” CSA Chief Executive Officer Pholetsi Moseki commented.

“It truly has been a summer to celebrate, with the progress and passion of this past season exemplified by the remarkable achievement of the Proteas Women as they won the hearts of South Africans during an incredible T20 World Cup campaign.

“Through these prestigious awards, CSA wishes to celebrate every single individual who has inspired the next generation through their efforts on and off the field, while also upholding CSA’s vision and mission.”

Moseki added: “we are excited to be able to host these awards at an in-person event once again, and knowing the special plans that are being put in place for the ceremony, I have no doubt that this will prove to be an unmissable occasion come 7 July.”