Popular auctioneer Richard Madley to helm SA20 player auction on October 1, 2024

Hyderabad: Noted auctioneer Richard Madley, who was the face of the Indian Premier League player actions for more than a decade, will be the auctioneer for the SA20 Season 3 player auction.

The SA20, modelled on the lines of the Indian Premier League, is South Africa’s premier domestic T20 competition.

The SA20 player auction for the third season will take place in Cape Town on October 1, 2024. Six teams will finalise their squads with Madley at the helm for the third season that is scheduled to commence on January 9, 2025.

The player registration period ended on September 13 and the league will release the final list of players on September 25, five days before the auction date. Noted players such as Ben Stokes, Kane Williamson, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Marcus Stonis and Devon Conway are in the fray.

Former Indian cricketer-turned commentator Dinesh Karthik will also be taking part in the league, although not in the auctions, as he has signed a deal with Paarl Royals. He will be the first Indian male cricketer to play in an overseas league.

Madley, also popularly known as The Hammerman, has a unique and distinctive style of conducting the player auctions. He is no stranger to the SA20 league having successfully conducted the inaugural auction two years ago.

The auctioneer, based out of Wales, said he was thrilled to be back for the SA20 player auction. “I’m thrilled to be back at the helm of the Betway SA20 Season 3 player auction. I have fond memories of the marathon 10-hour auction we had in the first season, so it’s great to be back in charge of proceedings and to wield my gavel on some high-stakes bids,” Madley said in a media statement.

SA20 League Commissioner Greame Smith said they are happy to have Madley back at the helm of the auction process. “We’re delighted to have Richard back on board for the Betway SA20 Season 3 auction. His passion and professionalism bring an extra layer of excitement to the auction process, and we can’t wait to see the drama unfold on 1 October,” Smith added.