Cape Town - The draw for the 2019 Mzansi Super League (MSL) took place at the Walter Sisulu Square in Soweto on Tuesday, will all six franchises getting close to completing their 16-man squads for the second edition of the competition.
Each franchise has now picked 15 of their 16 players for the season, with their final 'wildcard' picks to be made at a later stage.
The absence of big-name overseas players was noticeable, highlighting the challenge ahead as the product looks to become one of the most lucrative destinations on the global T20 circuit.
That was perhaps highlighted by the fact that one of the Round 1 picks, where the players earned a R1 million contract, was England's Liam Livingstone, who was snapped up by the Cape Town Blitz.
Livingstone has just two T20Is to his name for England and few South African cricket lovers will be familiar with him.
The biggest surprise of the day, however, was that Proteas legend Hashim Amla went unsold after withdrawing from the draft on Tuesday morning.
The 36-year-old announced his retirement from international cricket following the completion of the 2019 World Cup.
Elsewhere, there was not much to distinguish this year's pool of players compared to what we saw last year.
The good news is that the current crop of Proteas are all included, with some retired players like Morne Morkel, JP Duminy and Kyle Abbott also committed to playing.
Mark Boucher's Tshwane Spartans made some particularly interesting selections, with 34-year-old former Protea and current Netherlands allrounder Roelof van der Merwe included while 17-year-old Afghanistani mystery spinner Waqar Salamkheil was another surprise pick.
International players Liam Plunkett, Dawid Malan, Mohammad Amir and Imad wasim, meanwhile, went unpicked with their base prices too high.
Other big-name South African players who were not picked include Robbie Frylinck, Andrew Birch, Rory Kleinveldt, Dane Paterson, Dane Piedt, Senuran Muthusamy, Ghihan Cloete, Kyle Verreyne and Christiaan Jonker.
Full squads:
Cape Town Blitz
SA marquee player (R1.2 million) - Quinton de Kock
International marquee (R1.2 million) - Wahab Riaz (Pakistan)
Round 1 (R 1 million) - Liam Livingstone (England)
Round 2 (R900 000) - Dale Steyn
Round 3 (R750 000) - Sisanda Magala
Round 4 (R650 000) - Anrich Nortje
Round 5 (R550 000) - Asif Ali (Pakistan)
Round 6 (R350 000) - Mohammad Nawaz (Pakistan)
Round 7 (R250 000) - Janneman Malan
Round 8 (R200 000) - George Linde
Round 9 (R180 000) - David Bedingham
Round 10 (R150 000) - Vernon Philander
Round 11 (R120 000) - Marques Ackerman
Round 12 (R100 000) - Gregory Mahlokoana
Round 13 (R75 000) - Aviwe Mgijima
Round 14 (R50 000) - WILDCARD
Durban Heat
SA marquee player (R1.2 million) - Andile Phehlukwayo
International marquee (R1.2 million) - Alex Hales (England)
Round 1 (R 1 million) - David Miller
Round 2 (R900 000) - Dane Vilas
Round 3 (R750 000) - Ravi Bopara (England)
Round 4 (R650 000) - Keshav Maharaj
Round 5 (R550 000) - Kyle Abbott
Round 6 (R350 000) - Khaya Zondo
Round 7 (R250 000) - Marco Jansen
Round 8 (R200 000) - Daryn Dupavillon
Round 9 (R180 000) - Sarel Erwee
Round 10 (R150 000) - Malusi Siboto
Round 11 (R120 000) - Prenelan Subrayen
Round 12 (R100 000) - Wihan Lubbe
Round 13 (R75 000) - Shaun von Berg
Round 14 (R50 000) - WILDCARD
Jozi Stars
SA marquee player (R1.2 million) - Kagiso Rabada
International marquee (R1.2 million) - Chris Gayle
Round 1 (R 1 million) - Rassie van der Dussen
Round 2 (R900 000) - Reeza Hendricks
Round 3 (R750 000) - Dan Christian (Australia)
Round 4 (R650 000) - Temba Bavuma
Round 5 (R550 000) - Duanne Olivier
Round 6 (R350 000) - Simon Harmer
Round 7 (R250 000) - Ryan Rickleton
Round 8 (R200 000) - Aaron Phangiso
Round 9 (R180 000) - Lizaad Williams
Round 10 (R150 000) - Sinethemba Qeshile
Round 11 (R120 000) - Nono Pongolo
Round 12 (R100 000) - Eathan Bosch
Round 13 (R75 000) - Delano Potgieter
Round 14 (R50 000) - WILDCARD
Nelson Mandela Bay Giants
SA marquee player (R1.2 million) - Imran Tahir
International marquee (R1.2 million) - Jason Roy (England)
Round 1 (R 1 million) - Chris Morris
Round 2 (R900 000) - JJ Smuts
Round 3 (R750 000) - Junior Dala
Round 4 (R650 000) - Farhaan Behardien
Round 5 (R550 000) - Beuran Hendricks
Round 6 (R350 000) - Matthew Breetzke
Round 7 (R250 000) - Onke Nyaku
Round 8 (R200 000) - Ben Dunk (Australia)
Round 9 (R180 000) - Heino Kuhn
Round 10 (R150 000) - Marco Marais
Round 11 (R120 000) - Grant Thomson
Round 12 (R100 000) - Akona Mnyaka
Round 13 (R75 000) - Nandre Burger
Round 14 (R50 000) - WILDCARD
Paarl Rocks
SA marquee player (R1.2 million) - Faf du Plessis
International marquee (R1.2 million) - Isuru Udana (Sri Lanka)
Round 1 (R 1 million) - JP Duminy
Round 2 (R900 000) - Tabraiz Shamsi
Round 3 (R750 000) - Hardus Viljoen
Round 4 (R650 000) - Aiden Markram
Round 5 (R550 000) - Bjorn Fortuin
Round 6 (R350 000) - James Vince (England)
Round 7 (R250 000) - Dwaine Pretorius
Round 8 (R200 000) - Cameron Delport
Round 9 (R180 000) - Sibs Makhanya
Round 10 (R150 000) - Henry Davids
Round 11 (R120 000) - Mangaliso Mosehle
Round 12 (R100 000) - Ferisco Adams
Round 13 (R75 000) - Kerwin Mungroo
Round 14 (R50 000) - WILDCARD
Tshwane Spartans
SA marquee player (R1.2 million) - AB de Villiers
International marquee (R1.2 million) - Tom Curran (England)
Round 1 (R 1 million) - Morne Morkel
Round 2 (R900 000) - Lungi Ngidi
Round 3 (R750 000) - Heinrich Klaasen
Round 4 (R650 000) - Theunis de Bruyn
Round 5 (R550 000) - Roelof van der Merwe
Round 6 (R350 000) - Lutho Sipamla
Round 7 (R250 000) - Pite van Biljon
Round 8 (R200 000) - Tony de Zorzi
Round 9 (R180 000) - Waqar Salamkheil (Afghanistan)
Round 10 (R150 000) - Dean Elgar
Round 11 (R120 000) - Wiaan Mulder
Round 12 (R100 000) - Vaughn van Jaarsveld
Round 13 (R75 000) - Corbin Bosch
Round 14 (R50 000) - WILDCARD