Telling Aiden Markram and Laura Wolvaardt apart can be tricky. They're both unfailingly polite, clear thinkers, calm, canny captains, and possessed of batting techniques that are as exemplary as they are spookily orthodox. If anything Wolvaardt's cover drive is a touch silkier.
The difference comes down to bowling. Markram is a decent enough white-ball spinner to have taken 36 wickets in his 163 internationals in those formats. His ODI economy rate of 5.88 is better than Marco Jansen's, Wiaan Mulder's and Corbin Bosch's. In her 460 list A and T20 games Wolvaardt has sent down a piddling 168 deliveries of what is categorised as "right-arm slow", all for Western Province. Then there's Markram's beard and moustache, which Wolvaardt doesn't have.
But, in Johannesburg on Thursday, more dots between these two fine players were connected when they were named the men's and women's player of the year at CSA's annual awards ceremony.
Markram's prize would have been pretty much assured by the World Test Championship final-winning 136 he scored against Australia at Lord's in June. His other century in the period under review was an effort of 110 off 98 to help South Africa successfully chase 359 to beat India in an ODI in Raipur in December. But that doesn't come close to the importance of what he achieved against the Aussies.
Considering the opposition, the venue, the occasion, and the fact that he made a six-ball duck in the first innings, Markram's performance could be in a league of its own as the most consequential in the entire history of South African cricket. He batted for almost six-and-a-half hours, faced 207 balls, hit 14 fours and no sixes, and did more than most to rewrite the narrative of a team who hitherto had been proved fragile in finals.
Wolvaardt earned her trophy by scoring centuries in consecutive innings in the space of five October and November days at the sharp end of the 2025 World Cup. Her 143-ball 169 did much to win the semifinal against England in Guwahati. She scored an even more fluent 101 off 98 in the decider in Navi Mumbai, but that wasn't enough to deny India victory. Wolvaardt made three other ODI centuries during the relevant window - one against Pakistan in Lahore in September and two in four days at home against Ireland in December - along with two T20I hundreds; 115 off 53 against the Indians at the Wanderers last April and an unbeaten 115 off 56 against Ireland at Newlands.
Beyond the numbers, Markram and Wolvaardt are the most dependable, the most reassuring and assured, the least likely to cause panic South Africa batters of the age. Their compatriots see them walking to the crease and breathe significantly more easily. That extends to their teammates - Markram and Wolvaardt were also each named the players' player of the year.
Simon Harmer cracked the nod for Test player of the year despite featuring in only four of South Africa's seven matches in the format. But there can be no argument with the decision. Harmer's 13 wickets at 21.30 in Lahore and Rawalpindi in October helped South Africa square the series after Pakistan won the first Test. In Rawalpindi he became only the fourth South African and the only spinner to reach 1,000 first-class wickets. Harmer was even better in India in November, where he claimed 17 at 8.94 at Eden Gardens and in Guwahati to play a big part in only South Africa's second Test series success in their eight rubbers in India and their first in more than 25 years.
Lungi Ngidi was the fans' player of the year, not least for the way he recovered from a poor display in Australia's first innings in the WTC final. Ngidi leaked 45 runs in the eight overs he bowled and never looked like taking a wicket. He found his way back in the second dig, dismissing Steven Smith, Beau Webster and Pat Cummins for 35 runs in a nine-over raid of the highest quality. That and his uncanny mastery of the slower ball in white-ball cricket made Ngidi an obvious choice.
The Makhaya Ntini power of cricket award, which recognises resilience in the face of adversity, went to Sinalo Jafta, who survived veering perilously close to alcoholism. "I drank to silence the noise in my head," Jafta told Cricbuzz earlier this month. All she heard in the ballroom in Johannesburg on Thursday was applause.
CSA Awards: International Categories
International men's newcomer of the year: Dewald Brevis
International women's newcomer of the year: Kayla Reyneke
Men's T20I player of the year: Lungi Ngidi
Women's T20I player of the year: Laura Wolvaardt
Men's ODI player of the year: Matthew Breetzke
Women's ODI player of the year: Laura Wolvaardt
Player Of The Year Categories
Test player of the year: Simon Harmer
SA men's players' player of the year: Aiden Markram
SA fans' player of the year: Lungi Ngidi
SA women's players' player of the year: Laura Wolvaardt
SA men's player of the year: Aiden Markram
SA women's player of the year: Laura Wolvaardt
