Cricket South Africa (CSA) has confirmed it is evaluating the effectiveness of its domestic system to ensure its continued role in developing the sport. The review aims to assess key aspects such as the impact of the promotion-relegation format and the efficiency of player-development pathways.
Speaking at the launch of the 2024-25 One-Day Cup in Johannesburg, CSA’s executive for domestic cricket, Edward Khoza, emphasized the importance of regularly reviewing the system to gauge progress.
“The changes that we introduced shook up the system, and we’re now busy reviewing the system, looking at the gains and the losses,” said Khoza. “There are various discussions taking place to try and make sure that we can advance domestic cricket.”
One of the concerns raised in the review is the lack of game time for young players emerging from CSA’s talent acceleration programs. While Division 1 teams are actively contracting high-performance players aged 19 to 23, the feeder system below is not providing enough opportunities for them to play.
“But what is quite disappointing is that those guys hardly get game time because the feeder system below doesn’t play enough cricket,” Khoza noted. “So the discussions we’re having are about trying to unlock a system that ensures that young and talented guys get enough game time to realise their professional ambitions.”
Additionally, CSA is examining the unintended consequences of the promotion-relegation system. When teams such as the Free State Knights were relegated, they lost key sponsorships, impacting the overall cricketing ecosystem.
“When you bring in the promotion-relegation factor, it also has consequences that you might have not pre-empted because when, for example, the [Free State] Knights got relegated they lost a sponsor who added value to cricket,” said Khoza. “But those are the things that are part and parcel of the professional system that we’re working on and they should not deter us from making brave decisions and backing them.”
CSA is also considering whether the increased pressure on players at the domestic level is translating into improved performances at international competitions. Khoza highlighted the shift in mentality brought about by the new system, where teams can no longer rely on a safety net, making results more significant.
“We’re also asking ourselves the question of whether the pressure that the players are now playing under domestically helps them to be able to play in the pressure situations at ICC events; whether the results we’ve seen in the last year and a half are because of the change in psyche of our players because in the past there was a safety net that meant there were no consequences for losing. So there are pros and cons in this process, and it will be quite interesting when we get into a room and take stock of where we are.”
Another key focus is ensuring a strong domestic pipeline that benefits both SA20 and the national team. Khoza stressed that for SA20 to establish itself behind the IPL, the domestic system must consistently produce high-quality players who can compete at the highest level.
“The vital issue is to put the SA20 behind the IPL, and for it to be behind the IPL, you need a progressive domestic system that keeps producing these players who are able to compete with these international guys and who keep the SA20 relevant and appetising,” he explained. “That’s why it’s important for the players and coaches to appreciate the opportunity to play to get into the SA20, which wasn’t there before.”
While CSA acknowledges some progress, Khoza admitted there is still work to be done.
“It would be false to say I’m satisfied [with the standard of cricket]; I need to continuously look for more.”
With ongoing discussions and evaluations, CSA aims to refine the domestic system to maximize its impact on South African cricket at all levels.
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