A T20 event in SA is ‘on again’

THERE are as yet no teams nor a schedule but a T20 tournament of some kind will take place in South Africa next season, following an agreement and the establishment of a new company by Supersport and Cricket South Africa.

The creation of the strangely and not particularly originally named ‘Newco’ will see Cricket SA and the satellite sports channel become shareholders – with the CSA the majority shareholder – in setting up a T20 tournament, something Cricket SA failed to do last year.

The federation in fact made enormous losses – in the region of R180-million – when the Global League T20 collapsed last year, mainly due to CSA’S failure to secure a broadcast deal. The fall out from that has been huge, not to mention extremely embarrassing for CSA, who last week watched as Cricket Canada held a player auction ahead of its competition – somewhat cheekily named the ‘Global T20 Canada’ – to take place from the last week of this month.

Meanwhile Cricket SA are understood to still be locked in negotiations with some owners of the initial eight franchises that would have partaken in the GLT20 and are demanding some compensation for their investment. Some of that repayment may even come out of this current deal announced Wednesday, which CSA’S interim chief executive Thabang Moroe said was “the biggest in the history of South African domestic cricket, which will ensure the welfare of the game in South Africa.”

The tournament is slated for November and December this year. A major selling point – and no doubt an important part of Supersport’s decision to enter into a deal with CSA – would have been the availability of the Proteas players. The national team have a busy summer that starts at the end of September against Zimbabwe. For the period in question, the team is due to tour Australia for three weeks in November to play three ODIS and, on the 17th, a T20. The first Test with Pakistan starts on Boxing Day, leaving a four-week window in which the Proteas are available to play.

One key aspect is the chance of the tournament being broadcast on free to air television. That element was vital in building the IPL. But as only a limited number of South Africans have access to satellite television, ‘Newco’ will have to get creative.