Fast bowler Rabada snares six at South Africa's annual awards

Fast bowler Rabada snares six at South Africa's annual awards

It’s less than a year since he made his debut, in the first Test against India at Mohali, but Kagiso Rabada has emerged South Africa’s leading cricketer. The 21-year-old fast bowler was named South African's youngest ever Cricketer of the Year and also scooped up five other awards at a gala hosted by Cricket South Africa. Rabada became the first South African player to win six individual awards, beating the record of five held by teammates Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers. After receiving the top accolade, he was asked what was the best moment in his short career thus far. His response: "We play so many games, but when we won the series in India." Besides the top award, Rabada, who was named Newcomer of the Year in 2015, was named Test Cricketer of the Year and ODI Cricketer of the Year. He was not nominated in the third category, the T20 International Cricketer of the Year. That award went to Pakistan-born Imran Tahir. Rabada was also honoured by his peers, named SA Players' Player of the Year and by the 60,000 fans who voted in a contest to find the SA Fans Player of the Year. His sixth award was for the Delivery of the Year, which he bowled to England's Jason Roy in the T20 International at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. His international statistics are remarkable: 24 wickets in only 6 matches, at an average of 24.70, and 37 wickets in 20 ODIs, at an average of 21.45 with an economy rate of 4.78. Stephen Cook, who scored a century on his Test debut, was named International Newcomer of the Year while the new national captain, Dane van Niekerk, was named Momentum Women's Cricketer of the Year. Veteran South African Indian cricketer Ahmed Patel was inducted into the CSA Hall of Fame and awarded a special blazer, while Rushdi Magiet, another veteran who had pioneered schools cricket development in South Africa, was given the Lifetime Achievement award.