The SA20 player shuffle has begun, with Jon-Jon Smuts and Simon Harmer the first to be traded as teams prepare their squads for the second season of the league.
The Durban Super Giants have swopped Simon Harmer for Jon-Jon Smuts from inaugural champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape, meaning the Kingsmead-based side will take over Smuts' auction fee of R2.3 million, and the St George's Park side will be responsible for Harmer's R200 000 fee.
READ | Rob Houwing | Diluted Proteas for NZ series would be our Test death knell
Effectively, the Sunrisers have freed up their purse by R2.1 million.
The SA20 franchises are finalising their business ahead of the player auction set for late September, with their purses increased to R39.1 million per team for the next season.
Smuts was the third-highest run-scorer for the Sunrisers last season, scoring 202 runs at an average of 28.85 including two half-tons.
Meanwhile, in a team with the likes of spinning options in Keshav Maharaj, Prenelan Subrayen and Sri Lankan Akila Dananjaya, Harmer only bowled six overs for Lance Kluseners's Durban-based team.
He will now boost the Sunrisers' spinning force alongside side England left-arm spinner Liam Dawson.
Dawson was one of four Sunrisers’ pre-signings that also included Aiden Markram, seam bowler Ottniel Baartman and former ICC World No 1 T20 batter Dawid Malan.
All South African players were signed on multi-year contracts at the inaugural auction last year, but the trading window allows teams to trade or retain players ahead of the 31 July deadline.
Franchises can also buy-out players - South African or Overseas - still under contract to open up a slot in their squad. The player would then go back up for auction.
bowling
UPS
player
Dawid Malan
Aiden Markram
Liam Dawson
Rob Houwing