England star Dawid Malan is backing his winter opening partner Jordan Hermann to shine for Ribblesdale Wanderers in the Anthony Axford North West Cricket League’s T20 Finals Day at Lostock on Sunday before going on to have a long and successful career.

Malan and young gun Hermann opened the batting together for the Sunrisers Eastern Cape franchise in the South African SA T20 competition earlier this year.

In their first game together, in January, Hermann - aged 22 - hit a superb 106 off 62 balls in a victory over a star-studded MI Cape Town team at the iconic Newlands ground.

Their bowling attack included Kagiso Rabada, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Olly Stone and Kieron Pollard.

Hermann has been playing league cricket as a professional for Denton West in the top tier of the Greater Manchester Cricket League this summer. He has topped 750 runs with two hundreds for them.

On Sunday, he has been signed on as a substitute professional for Wanderers, who have been mixing and matching following the departure of regular pro Michael Erlank last month.

Powerful left-hander Hermann has already played three times for captain Mack Spencer’s side, including in their quarter-final win against Cherry Tree, in which he scored 55 at the top of the order.

They face hosts Lostock in Sunday’s second semi-final at Chew Moor Lane (1pm) after Whalley tackle Blackrod at 10.30am. The final is at 4.30pm.

Hermann has been highlighted as a star of the future by South African great Allan Donald, who said: “You’re talking about a guy who can get close to AB de Villers or to Maxwell.”

And Malan also rates the youngster highly.

The Yorkshire batter said: “I was fortunate enough to play with Jordan in the South African league at the beginning of the year, and he scored a brilliant hundred in the first game we played.

“I’d watched him in the nets, and straightaway you could see that he’s extremely talented.

“Hopefully he goes out, performs and wins it for Ribblesdale - fingers crossed - and then goes on to have a really successful career because he’s got everything he needs to be a really good cricketer.”