Cricket SA’s four-month-long review of the domestic game is set to come full circle with the governing body likely to stick with the 8-7, two division split, despite concerns it might bankrupt the sport.
Recommendations made by a task team established by CSA in February contain some significant changes — most notably a decrease in the number of players provincial unions can contract, and different criteria for promotion/relegation between the two divisions.
Insiders, speaking on condition of anonymity, are divided about the effect the proposals will have, with some saying they don’t go far enough. The recommendations will be tabled before CSA’s board and the members council on May 11.
When the review started, it was strongly felt CSA would need to cut the number of professional teams from 15 to either eight or 10, given anticipated economic challenges. But, said one senior official, that could have caused what he described as a “political war” between provincial administrators.
Instead, it is the number of players that will be shaved, with the task team recommending that men’s teams in Division 1 be allowed to contract 14 players, down from 18, while in Division 2, teams can contract seven players, down from 11.
That would put CSA more in line with Australia, where the six-state teams are allowed to contract up to 16 players.
Though criticism about the fairness of the promotion/relegation system has grown louder... it is believed the system — which has been in place for three seasons — will remain, albeit with some aggressive tweaks
Cricket SA is still awaiting feedback on the effect such cuts would have and if they will allow it to save up to R30m a year. However, even for some, those cuts aren’t enough, with the outlook for the game beyond 2031 looking grim due to decreased revenue from broadcast companies that will affect the sport globally — except for India.
A divide has occurred between those who believe CSA needs to make more drastic changes — including sacrificing some poorly run unions being one recommendation — and those demanding a better balance between financial discipline and the need to ensure there’s more and better quality cricket being played domestically.
Driven by domestic coaches with support from CSA’s director of national teams Enoch Nkwe and the executive in charge of domestic cricket Eddie Khoza, it appears the task team can create a structure where more matches will be played — particularly in the four-day format. There’s broad consensus doing so will not necessarily affect CSA’s bottom line.
Though criticism about the fairness of the promotion/relegation system has grown louder, especially in light of the drama that unfolded around the Warriors and Knights, it is believed the system — which has been in place for three seasons — will remain, albeit with some aggressive tweaks.
Instead of taking place season by season, relegation and promotion would be determined over two to four years and, in addition to results on the field, a broad range of administrative guidelines would also have to be adhered to, before provinces in Division 2 can be promoted.
Senior CSA officials are cognisant of problems faced by unions like KwaZulu-Natal Inland — who have been promoted to Division 1 next season — and Border and Northern Cape. The latter two are under administration, with Border’s finances understood to be a mess, while Northern Cape appears to have countless administrative challenges that have seen its president and four other board members declared delinquent directors by the Northern Cape High Court.
When KZN Inland was in the top division in the 2023/24 season, matches at the Maritzburg Oval were halted because the outfield was severely damaged by a function held there by the KwaZulu-Natal government — one of the union’s main backers.
Under the proposals being considered, CSA hopes such incidents would be avoided, along with better governance measures, before teams will be considered for promotion.
Plenty of negotiations will be taking place in the weeks before the May 11 meeting, and some tweaks to the structure may yet be made, including dropping the T20 Challenge from the promotion/relegation competition.
CSA conducted the review over fears about the future financial health of the sport locally, especially in relation to changes taking place internationally, with an expected drop in income from broadcasters, cricket's primary revenue source, on the horizon.
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