Cricket South Africa’s brave new world a cause for optimism and concern

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Updated 11 January 2024
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Cricket South Africa’s brave new world a cause for optimism and concern

  • After several failed attempts to establish a T20 league, SA20 is seen as a silver bullet for the country’s cricket issues, but Test cricket looks set to suffer

In cricket’s brave new world, the Betway T20 franchise league in South Africa is leaving some observers gasping for air.

This is because of what appears to be a brazen attitude to ensure that it succeeds at all costs. There is context to explain this. Previous attempts to introduce a T20 competition foundered. A T20 Global League was established by Cricket South Africa in 2017, but it lacked both a broadcast deal and a title sponsor, so was deferred. In its place a Mzansi Super League emerged in 2018. Matches were played between six CSA-owned teams in November and December. A second edition was played in 2019 but the 2020 and 2021 editions were cancelled, ostensibly because of COVID-19.

However, another factor played its part. SuperSport is CSA’s domestic broadcast partner and its support for a T20 league is vital. This could not be agreed in 2017. CSA argued that the tournament represented new business outside the existing agreement. SuperSport disagreed and an alternative broadcaster could not be found.

When the Mzansi league was being developed, CSA and SuperSport failed to reach agreement on equity shares, leaving a broadcasting vacuum. This gap was filled by the South African Broadcasting Corporation on free-to-air, but for little money. Without private investment, the league was economically unsustainable, costing around $5.5 million to operate per edition.

Armed with these salutary lessons, CSA established SA20 in 2022 through the corporate medium of Africa Cricket Development (Pty) Ltd. Fifty percent is owned by CSA, SuperSport has 30 percent, with the balance held by a former Indian Premier League chief operating officer. The Indian connection was further cemented by the purchase of all six teams by IPL franchisees. It is not surprising, therefore, that a deal was struck by CSA to broadcast SA20 in India. This was announced in November 2022 and is with Viacom18, a joint venture between Network 18, backed by Reliance Industry Ltd., James Murdoch-Uday Shankar’s Bodhi Tree Systems and Viacom CBS. What is impressive is its 10-year duration, understood to be worth close to $10 million per year, or around $300,000 per match. So CSA went from bust to boom in six years.

The deal ensured that SA20 generated a profit in its first year compared with previous forecasts of breakeven after four to five years. This all comes at a price.

Match schedules need to fit with Indian prime time. More critically, South African cricket has been subjugated to SA20. Centrally contracted players must prioritize playing in SA20 over representing South Africa. As early as July 2022, CSA decided that an ODI series against Australia, scheduled for January 2023, would be cancelled as it clashed with SA20 dates. Even more controversially, CSA has selected an understrength squad for a two-match Test series in February in New Zealand. As reported last week, condemnation from former players abounded, amongst fears that Test cricket’s already uncertain future is being further undermined.

These fears were exacerbated by the events at Newlands, Cape Town, in the second Test match between South Africa and India, commencing on Jan. 3 and ending on Jan. 4. Records, most of them unwanted, were broken. It was the shortest-ever Test match — 107 overs and 642 balls where a winner was determined. There was a fall of the most wickets (six) without a run being scored. Dean Elgar was dismissed twice on the same day in his final Test. This had not happened since 1890. Another South African, Aiden Markram, scored 60.22 percent of his side’s second innings score, beating a previous high of 59.89 percent.

The pitch was deemed “unsatisfactory” by the match referee. Newlands is one of the world’s most iconic cricket grounds. Its infrastructure has undergone substantial redevelopment that, reportedly, requires annual debt servicing in excess of $1 million. The Western Province Cricket Association, which owns Newlands, is in serious financial difficulties. At the end of October 2023, CSA officials met with WPCA representatives to offer financial injections amounting to almost $1.4 million.

One consequence of this WPCA financial position was a decision to outsource pitch and ground curation. Whilst not doubting the caliber of the curators, Newlands is not their only place of work. It is understood that the Test match pitch was used in SA20, 2023, when Newlands received complaints for slow pitches. After the recent Test ended, curators were at work on neighboring pitches in preparation for SA20 matches. The pitch for the first Test at Gauteng was not a good one either but escaped censure.

Over the last decade or so, South African cricket has been riven by factions and allegations of financial irregularities, leading to dysfunctionality. SA20 is a silver bullet to address this. It is not far-fetched to suggest that, without it, the system would have collapsed.

Apologists will argue that the competition will inject funds into South African cricket, helping the game grow. There were sold-out stadiums in 2023. The league’s commissioner, a highly successful former captain, claims that the tournament has revived the spirit of cricket in South Africa. There is hope that it will have the same impact in developing young players that the IPL has had in India. Franchise owners are expected to invest in academies and development hubs.

The CSA is intent on giving the tournament the best possible chance to succeed, based on the mandated availability of the best South Africans, to the obvious detriment of the Test team.

Faced with disaster, it unashamedly adopted a modern mechanism, franchise cricket, as its centerfold. Maybe it hopes that the funding can be used to facilitate a revival in first-class cricket.

Critics will say that being in thrall to Indian franchisees, devaluing Test cricket, having a title sponsor in Betway, recruiting a low proportion of non-white South Africans in the squads, means that CSA, via SA20, has surrendered to cricket’s new direction of travel. This glitzy, consumer-focused world does not respect tradition, least of all South Africa’s heritage as the third-longest Test-playing nation.


Gündogan has two goals, Haaland scores as Man City routs Al Ain 6-0 at the Club World Cup

Updated 23 June 2025
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Gündogan has two goals, Haaland scores as Man City routs Al Ain 6-0 at the Club World Cup

  • Man City produced a dominating performance that sent both the English club and Italian squad Juventus to the Round of 16

ATLANTA: lkay Gündogan had a pair of goals, Erling Haaland scored on a penalty and Manchester City locked up its spot in the knockout round of the Club World Cup with a 6-0 rout of Al Ain on Sunday night.
Claudio Echeverri, Oscar Bobb and Rayan Cherki also scored for City, which is trying to put an encouraging capper on a disappointing season.
The English powerhouse finished third in the Premier League after four straight championships and went down to Real Madrid in the knockout playoff of the UEFA Champions League.
With an entirely new lineup after a 2-0 win over Morocco’s Wydad in the group opener, Man City produced a dominating performance in Atlanta against an overmatched club from the United Arab Emirates.
The time of possession was a staggering 74 percent in favor of the English side, which outshot Al Ain 21-5.
Haaland buried the penalty for his 32nd goal of the season across all competitions after a video review found that Rami Rabia took down City’s Manuel Akanji in the area on a corner kick. Cherki, one of City’s high-profile signings, scored his first goal for his new club in the waning minutes.
The expected result sent Man City and Italian club Juventus (both 2-0-0) to the Round of 16 from Group G. Al Ain has been blown out twice, losing 5-0 to Juventus in its opener.
Manchester City is the reigning club champion, winning the title in 2023 under the former seven-team format.
Key moment
After Gündogan flicked in an early goal over the head of keeper Khalid Eisa, Echeverri assured this would be an easy night for City in the 27th minute. With a free kick from just outside the area, he curled a shot over the wall that left Eisa frozen on one knee while the ball ripped the back of the net.
Takeaways
Man City will face Juventus on Thursday in Orlando to determine which team claims the top spot in the group. Then the real work begins.
They said it
“We played a little bit better than the first game, especially in the second half, but still there are a few things you have to improve.” — Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola.
“We know where our level is, but you cannot be happy ... because against this team, you must be disciplined from the first until the last second of the game.” — Al Ain coach Vladimir Ivić.


Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 29 points and Thunder beat Pacers 103-91 for NBA title

Updated 23 June 2025
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 29 points and Thunder beat Pacers 103-91 for NBA title

  • The Pacers without star guard Tyrese Haliburton, who suffered an Achilles tendon injury about seven minutes into the game
  • It’s the 2nd championship for the franchise, which first won the NBA title in 1979 when it was still the Seattle SuperSonics

OKLAHOMA CITY: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished off his MVP season with 29 points and 12 assists, and the Oklahoma City Thunder won the NBA championship, pulling away in the second half to beat the Indiana Pacers 103-91 on Sunday night.
Jalen Williams scored 20 and Chet Holmgren had 18 for the Thunder, who were pushed to a Game 7 brink in the NBA Finals — but finished off a season for the ages. Oklahoma City won 84 games between the regular season and the playoffs, tying the 1996-97 Chicago Bulls for third-most in any season.
Only Golden State (88 in 2016-17) and the Bulls (87 in 2015-16) won more.
It’s the second championship for the franchise. The Seattle SuperSonics won the NBA title in 1979; the team was moved to Oklahoma City in 2008. There’s nothing in the rafters in Oklahoma City to commemorate that title.
Next October, a championship banner is finally coming. A Thunder banner.
It was not easy to secure.
The Pacers led 48-47 at the half even after losing star guard Tyrese Haliburton to what his father said was an Achilles tendon injury about seven minutes into the game. But they were outscored 34-20 in the third quarter as the Thunder built a 13-point lead and began to run away.
Bennedict Mathurin had 24 points and 13 rebounds for Indiana, which still is waiting for its first NBA title. The Pacers — who were 10-15 after 25 games and were bidding to be the first team in NBA history to turn that bad of a start into a championship — had leads of 1-0 and 2-1 in the series, but they simply didn’t have enough in the end.
Home teams are now 16-4 in NBA Finals Game 7s. And the Thunder became the seventh champion in the last seven seasons, a run of parity like none other in NBA history.
Pacers forward Pascal Siakam was part of the Toronto team that won in 2019, Thunder guard Alex Caruso was part of the Los Angeles Lakers team that won in the pandemic “bubble” in 2020, Milwaukee won in 2021, Golden State in 2022, Pacers forward Thomas Bryant and Denver prevailed in 2023, and Boston won last year’s title.
The Thunder are the ninth franchise to win a title in NBA Commissioner Adam Silver 12 seasons leading the league. His predecessor, David Stern, saw eight franchises win titles in his 30 seasons as commissioner.
 


Gold Cup: Saudi Arabia tie Trinidad, advance out of Group D

Updated 23 June 2025
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Gold Cup: Saudi Arabia tie Trinidad, advance out of Group D

  • Firas Al-Buraikan found the all-important equalizer for Saudi Arabia to notch a 1-1 draw with Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday

Firas Al-Buraikan found the all-important equalizer for Saudi Arabia to notch a 1-1 draw with Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday in Las Vegas, ensuring the CONCACAF’s guests would advance to the knockout stage of the Gold Cup.
While the United States won Group D with a perfect 3-0-0 record, Saudi Arabia finished 1-1-1 (4 points) to place second. Trinidad and Tobago (0-1-2, 2 points) would have leapfrogged Saudi Arabia for second with a victory.
Justin Garcia nearly put Trinidad ahead in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time, but his point-blank shot from the center of the box caromed off the crossbar.
Al-Buraikan’s tying goal also involved the woodwork. Saleh Al-Shehri received a pass down the center lane, dribbled around one defender and watched his ensuing shot hit the crossbar and stay out of the net. Al-Buraikan ran in to collect the ball and tap it behind goalkeeper Marvin Phillip (two saves).
Dante Sealy staked Trinidad to a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute on a left-footed rocket from outside the box.
Nawaf Al-Aqidi made two saves for Saudi Arabia.
 


RB Salzburg, Al-Hilal tussle to 0-0 draw at Club World Cup

Updated 23 June 2025
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RB Salzburg, Al-Hilal tussle to 0-0 draw at Club World Cup

  • Al-Hilal will play Pachuca in Nashville on Thursday

RB Salzburg and Al-Hilal played to a scoreless draw in a Group H match of the Club World Cup on Sunday in Washington.
Salzburg (1-0-1, 4 points), a 17-time Austrian Bundesliga champion, had an opportunity to become the first from Group H to advance to the quarterfinals but instead is second to Real Madrid (1-0-1, 4 points) on goal differential, which favors the Spanish club by one. They face each other in the final group match in Philadelphia on Thursday.
Al-Hilal (0-0-2, 2 points) of the Saudi Pro League, where they have won 19 titles, play Pachuca (0-2-0, 0 points), which has been eliminated, in Nashville on Thursday.
Yassine Bounou made five saves for Al-Hilal. His counterpart, Christian Zawieschitzky, had four.
The match was played with pace despite a real-feel temperature of 99 degrees.
Al-Hilal came close to a breakthrough in the 81st minute when Sergej Milinkovic-Savic earmarked a shot for the bottom left corner from outside the box, but Zawieschitzky covered the post for the save.
While Al-Hilal finished with a 19-13 advantage in attempts, it was a frustrating afternoon for each side with numerous missed chances.
Al-Hilal had 10 of the 15 shot attempts in the scoreless first half. The problem was that Zawieschitzky needed to make just one save.
It did help him that defender Jacob Rasmussen blocked a right-footed shot from Marcos Leonardo and cleared it from near the goal line in the 21st minute. Otherwise the lone Al-Hilal shot on target was by Salem Al-Dawsari in the fifth minute.
Salzburg put three of its five shots on target in the first half, including an opportunity in the ninth minute. Frans Kratzig sent a long overhead ball to Karim Onisiwo in the center of the box and he deftly flicked the ball toward keeper Yassine Bounou with the outside of his right foot.
Bounou was better tested in the 48th minute when he stood tall to deny John Mellberg staring at him from the 6-yard box.


Real Madrid beats Pachuca 3-1 in Club World Cup while playing most of the match with 10 men

Updated 23 June 2025
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Real Madrid beats Pachuca 3-1 in Club World Cup while playing most of the match with 10 men

  • It hardly mattered as Madrid dominated the Mexican club rest of the way to give Xabi Alonso his first win as coach of the Spanish power

CHARLOTTE, N.C.: Jude Bellingham and Arda Güler scored first-half goals and short-handed Real Madrid bounced back from a disappointing performance in its Club World Cup opener to beat Pachuca 3-1 on Sunday in front of 70,248 spectators at Bank of America Stadium.
Seven minutes in, defender Raul Asencio received a red card, forcing Real Madrid to play the remainder of the match with 10 men.
It hardly mattered as Madrid dominated the Mexican club rest of the way to give Xabi Alonso his first win as coach of the Spanish power.
Bellingham got Madrid on the board in the 35th minute when he took a pass from Fran Garcia just inside the box and belted a perfectly placed left-footed shot past goalkeeper Carlos Moreno into the right corner.
Eight minutes later, Güler made it 2-0 when he delivered a right-footed shot from the center of the box to the bottom left corner off an assist from Gonzalo García. Federico Valverde put the final touches on the win in the second half with a sliding right-footed shot off an assist from Brahim Díaz.
Goalkeeper Thabaut Courtois was on form with five saves in the first half. He turned away two point-blank shots in the early going and finished with 10 saves.
Elías Montiel ended Courtois’ bid for a shutout when he scored in the 80th minute for Pachuca, which fell to 0-2 in group play.
Kylian Mbappé has missed both Club World Cup starts after being hospitalized with acute gastroenteritis. He did not travel to Charlotte, but the team remains hopeful that he’ll be ready to play on Thursday night against Salzburg.
Key moment
There were some uneasy minutes early in the match for Madrid when Asencio pulled down Pacheco’s Agustin Palavecino as he was entering the box following a breakaway, forcing Aurelein Tchouameni to move to center back. But Madrid stayed on the attack and Bellingham had the breakthrough goal.
Takeaways
Madrid looked very much out of sync on Wednesday, playing Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal to a 1-1 draw in Alonso’s first game when Federico Valverde’s stoppage-time penalty was saved. That changed on Sunday as the talented roster began to mesh, with precise passing leading to both first-half goals.
Noteworthy
The game was played on a temporary grass field. The stadium is home to the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, who play on an artificial surface. ... With temperatures in the low 90s Fahrenheit (low 30s Celsius), players were given a water breaks midway through each half.
What they said
“We stayed together really well. It’s impressive how the team comes together to win the game. I’m really happy with the team today.” — Bellingham.
“I’m here to win. That is my way. I want to make a statement. We played well on some occasions but I can’t settle for just that.” — Pachuca coach Jaime Lozano.