South Africa names teams for new domestic cricket structure

JOHANNESBURG: Cricket South Africa (CSA) in conjunction with an Independent Evaluation Committee (IEC) on Monday announced the teams that will make up the new domestic cricket structure for the next two seasons.

It was revealed that Boland, Central Gauteng Lions, Eastern Province, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal (Coastal), North West, Northerns and Western Province will be part of the eight-team Division 1.

Border, Easterns, KwaZulu-Natal Inland, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape and South Western Districts will join a seven-team Division 2.

The much-anticipated announcement was headed by chairman David Richardson and his IEC Team.

It follows a process that, in addition to a detailed evaluation of each member's performance over a four-year period against identified criteria across seven key dimensions, also required all CSA members to submit bids to the IEC.

The bids were required to be strategic and forward-looking in nature, addressing seven dimensions. They were evaluated during February and followed by an audit process, before the final decision was reached and presented to the CSA Interim Board, who approved the outcome.

Confirmation of the structure ends months of consultation between CSA and the South African Cricketers' Association (SACA) after a roadmap for the process was initially drawn up in February 2020.

"We would like to thank Dave Richardson and his Task Team for all their hard work and efforts to help us get to this point. I would like to congratulate those teams that have made it into the two divisions," Acting President of the CSA Members' Council, Rihan Richards, said.

"Today is the culmination of a process that started back in 2016 when it became apparent that in order for CSA to maintain its position as a powerhouse in world cricket, it needed to create a strong pool of players reflective of our society. It was imperative that we reviewed our domestic structure to deliver on these goals." IANS

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