Allan Donald Named Joburg Super Kings Bowling Coach For SA20 2027

Allan Donald is the new Joburg Super Kings bowling coach, appointed for the fifth season of the SA20 in January. He replaces Eric Simons. Simons has moved to England's Test coaching staff. The franchise welcomed its new man in a post on X: "Welcome to the den, Allan Donald!"

Donald took 330 wickets in 72 Tests at 22.25. His best return was 8 for 71. He added 272 wickets in 164 one-day internationals at 21.78. He retired in 2004. The coaching record since then runs across county cricket, franchise cricket and four international sides.

England's hiring empties a staff room

The vacancy came from England, not Johannesburg. Stephen Fleming left JSK to take charge of the England Test side. Simons has gone with him. Albie Morkel, already on the staff, was promoted to head coach. Pierre de Bruyn arrives as fielding coach after working with Namibia and the Netherlands women's team. RevSportz reported that Evan Speechly replaces Tommy Simsek, another long-serving member of the setup.

• Head coach: Albie Morkel
• Bowling coach: Allan Donald
• Fielding coach: Pierre de Bruyn

Four seasons without a final

JSK have not won the SA20. They finished second in the group in 2023 and lost the semi-final. Fourth place followed in each of the next three seasons. They went out in the Eliminator in 2025 and again in 2026. Fourth of six is a playoff place in this league, and it has been the ceiling. The franchise is owned by Chennai Super Kings Cricket and plays at the Wanderers in Johannesburg.

A captain has not been named. "We have a lot of leaders in our squad and we will consider our options," Morkel said.

Donald's route back to a dugout

He has done this job at most levels. Donald was South Africa's bowling coach from 2011 until after the 2015 World Cup. He was Bangladesh's pace bowling coach in 2022. Before that came Warwickshire, Kent and the Knights. He worked with New Zealand for the 2011 World Cup and with Sri Lanka as a Champions Trophy consultant. His IPL stints were at Royal Challengers Bangalore and Pune Warriors India, where he was head coach in 2013. He has also had a spell with England as a bowling consultant.

Three months to the first ball

Season five runs from 17 January to 21 February 2027. The final is in Cape Town. That leaves Morkel's staff a short run-up together. Donald inherits a bowling group he has not worked with. The attack has taken JSK to the playoffs three years running and no further.

Morkel is the only one of the new staff who was at the franchise last season. Even he is new to the job. The rest arrive cold, in a league that gives nobody long to settle.