Tests for CSA as Proteas progress

The New Year dawned alive with possibilities for the Proteas.

Two ICC trophies are on offer in 2025 — the first next month — and more enticingly, the World Test Championship in June. But while progress has been made on the field, especially by Temba Bavuma’s Test team, off it, Cricket South Africa has some tricky decisions to make regarding the landscape of the domestic game. 

First the good news: South Africa has a men’s national side that is globally relevant and competitive again. They have sneaked up on the rest of the world, earning a semifinal spot at the ODI World Cup in 2023, finishing as runners-up at the T20 World Cup last year, and after last week’s thrilling win against Pakistan in Centurion, earned a spot at Lord’s in the WTC final. 

Caught off guard

Some big-name ex-players from England and Australia may have questioned the nature of their qualification, but that’s because they’ve largely been caught off guard by the overall progress the Proteas have made after spending years in the doldrums, struggling to cope with the retirements of a legendary generation of players along with the administrative implosion suffered by CSA.

The remnants of those problems remain and are reflected in the reduced schedule that, after the Newlands match, will see the Proteas not play a Test on home soil again until October 2026.

The reasons are primarily financial. Despite CSA’s R800m profit, announced last year, and the R600m windfall from this season’s four T20s against India, the organisation faces a number of financial challenges, most notably around the domestic game.

Too many provincial unions are in strife and this week’s meetings at Newlands involving provincial presidents and CEOs will thrash out steps that need to be taken to alleviate some of the financial strain.

Financial reality

That could involve changing the status of some of the unions in the second division especially, making them amateur. It does raise the possibility of turkeys voting for Christmas, but the financial reality for CSA is that it simply cannot continue to carry the can for so many provincial unions. 

Only Central Gauteng, Northerns and KwaZulu-Natal Coastal make a profit and each have shown the kind of stability that has made them attractive for large corporate backers.

In the meanwhile venues that will host the 2027 World Cup will see major renovations kick into gear in the next 12 months, and along with the development of “drop-in” pitches at some of the bigger grounds, will add further to CSA’s expenses.

For all the progress and the cash injection provided by the SA20 in its first three seasons, it is the Proteas men’s team’s success that remains critical to the financial wellbeing of Cricket SA. 

Empty calendar

It’s why reaching the WTC final was so important because it provides leverage for the  director of national teams, Enoch Nkwe, in negotiations he will be a part of to ensure there is some international cricket, beyond five T20s with the West Indies, next season. 

Given how the Boxing Day Test unfolded at SuperSport Park, it will be a poor reflection on CSA if that part of the calendar remains empty next season. With an Ashes series on the go Down Under, and the West Indies in New Zealand for a couple of Tests, it will be difficult for CSA to secure one of the top sides for the high point of the season. Afghanistan are understood to be a main candidate, but despite their progress in the limited-overs formats, they remain a Test side that, certainly in South African conditions, can’t be expected to be competitive.

The improvements of the last 18 months have also illustrated the depth of talent at the disposal of Shukri Conrad and his white ball counterpart, Rob Walter. 

The latter has struggled with integrating some of those players, exposing them to foreign conditions and a much higher standard of opposition than they are accustomed to domestically.

But doing so is essential. The benefits of those choices won’t be seen for a few years, but based on what has happened in the last 18 months, Conrad, Walter and Nkwe deserve to be shown patience.