Maharaj, Rabada, and Ismail headline Cricket SA award nominations

Proteas stars Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, and Shabnim Ismail headlined the Cricket South Africa (CSA) 2021/22 season award nominations that were announced on Tuesday.

The awards, set to be held on Sunday, 14 August, serve as CSA's prestigious event where the country's top cricketers, amateurs, coaches, administrators and umpires will be recognised for their service to the game.

Maharaj was nominated in four categories, including best delivery, ODI, Test and men's player of the year, while Rabada cracked the nod for four nominations, including T20 player of the year and men's player of the year.

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Ismail, meanwhile, made her way into the women's ODI and player of the year categories, plus two delivery of the year nominations.

Laura Wolvaardt and Marizanne Kapp, who showed stellar form in the lead-up to and including this year's ICC Women's World Cup, were also among the top draws.

Test captain Dean Elgar will come up against his vice-captain and white-ball skipper Temba Bavuma for the long format award, which also includes Marco Jansen and Keegan Petersen in the nominations list.

Men's wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock, who bowed out of the Test arena last season, made three nominations in the T20, ODI and overall men's player of the year.

Victories in white longs over India at home and the West Indies away, as well as a draw in New Zealand against the Test Mace holders, saw South Africa top the World Test Championship standings.

In the shortest format, Mark Boucher's side won four out of their five matches at the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup in the UAE and Dubai, where T20 player of the year nominees Aiden Markram and Tabraiz Shamsi shone.

The Proteas also won all their T20