Still a few question marks over change to domestic game

Cricket South Africa (CSA) gave the thumbs up to their much mooted new 15-team first-class system but questions are likely to linger about whether the country's talent pool is deep enough to sustain it.

January 03, 2021 at 0:00 am

Cricket South Africa accepted the recommendations of David Richardson, left, and his task team on the overhaul of the game in South Africa.

By adopting the new model, CSA raised the index finger to the six-team franchise system..

The new structure will see teams split 8-7 into Division 1 and Division 2 with automatic promotion and relegation to be implemented. CSA said in a statement the automatic promotion and relegation system aims to provide healthy tension in the system which will enhance a high performance environment.

"The question is how strong will an eight-team system be. I'm not sure we have the quality to sustain eight professional teams," said one cricket industry insider.

"What is also worth asking is, do we have 15 administrations, or 15 first-class venues? Add to that a R300m development budget and an expensive Proteas set-up. My sense tells me we can't afford all of it. There will be 70 fewer players in the system, but the budget remains more or less the same."

The new system got the green light after CSA's members' council accepted the recommendations of the David Richardson task team to restructure the domestic game following months of consultation with the South African Cricketers' Association (SACA).

"The calendar for Division 1 will be similar to the current system where the eight teams will play four-day, one-day and the Twenty20 cricket (MSL) all in a single round," CSA explained in a statement.

"The same eight teams will also compete in a domestic T20 knockout tournament with the seven teams from Division 2, whose season will comprise of a four-day and one-day competition. Division 2 players will have an opportunity to play in the MSL via a player draft.

"The 8-7 divisional split will be determined by a 'bid process' in which each member will be evaluated based on its performance against defined evaluation criteria, as well as its strategic plan for running and sustaining a professional team within this new professional era at affiliate member level."