SA20 Vision : The future of cricket is brighter than ever before
SA20 Vision : The future of cricket is brighter than ever before
Cricket in South Africa (SA) has seen its morale at an all-time low, with our test cricket team performing poorly. After the disappointing loss to the Netherlands at the ICC T20 World Cup in 2022, knocking us out, it has left a void. It must be filled before we all get the unlucky end of the stick.
The country is in dire need of thrilling entertainment and players who require a platform to showcase their talent and skills.
Enter the explosive SA20
The SA20 is South Africa's premier T20 cricket league started in January 2023. The competition has featured six exciting franchises out of Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Gqeberha, Paarl and Cape Town. The SA20 has the backing of some of India's most recognised T20 franchises worldwide.
Six dynamic entities and investments own the franchises. It is likely to sustain South African cricket, the players and future cricketers coming through the development phase.
This new league had many sponsors. One of them, notably, is "Betway", has changed the landscape of the franchise cricket league in SA with its fantastic fan interaction.
Fans could have the opportunity at a share of R1 million for taking a catch during the matches. This was so well received, Betway decided to increase the share to a whopping R2 million.
Let's talk, players. We have the cream of the crop throughout our nation who played in this league, plus a bonus of impressive players from England, West Indies, and Sri Lanka, and a few key players from New Zealand, Afghanistan, Ireland and the Netherlands.
Then, we have the coaching staff for all teams, including absolute "Legends" from SA cricket and other international players. You got to see the likes of Lance Klusner, Jonty Rhodes, Jacques Kallis, Dale Steyn, Hashim Amla, and so many more.
The vision of the commissioner
Graeme Smith (ex-Proteas Captain) and now the commissioner of the SA20 league, took on this project with exciting prospects of developing our local talent and gaining financial backing to ensure cricket's sustainability in SA.
It proved to work well when an unbeatable, dominating England cricket team toured SA in late January this year, where the unthinkable happened: the Proteas took victory in the series and arguably so with talent being recognised from the SA20 league. The hope that Smith has is to be the 2nd best T20 league behind the IPL. Now, the nation and Cricket South Africa must fully support this incredible venture.
The best players are born
Players from all over the country got to play the beloved game in various parts of the country with different playing conditions, facing off against other great players locally and abroad.
Now, our talent pool seems much superior, giving us the hope we want and need for a possible world cup victory sometime in the future.
This is a first for SA cricket; such a competition will bring out the best in our players.
A lucrative new league
This is partly due to the immense success of the IPL. The IPL franchises owning all six teams made this a must-see, must-attend event. The owner's experience and savvy showed throughout the tournament as it was a huge success compared to the prior T20 leagues CSA tried to promote but failed. Most impressive is the whopping R70 million total prize fund, which is the largest in the history of SA franchise cricket. We now have a local league that can compare to India's IPL and Australia's Big Bash League.
With significant bids from the IPL team owners and broadcast deals with India and other global television providers, the SA20 was set to make money and show investors returns within a year or two.
Betway SA20 League: A big step forward for CSA
We have witnessed an impressive league, and prospects for the future seemingly shout talent development. Next year, there will be an even better 2nd season of the SA20. This league is a chance for young players to gain exposure and play side-by-side with experienced, internationally recognised players and learn from them. Also, the team owners are expected to invest in academies and training centres in their areas, where we will see growth and development in the future stars of SA Cricket.
All the hype at the start of this league has paid off. It is a pity that there were no "super overs" in this year's tournament.