T20 transformation ‘risk’ paid off
Cricket South Africa CEO Haroon Lorgat yesterday defended the absence of transformation quotas in the T20 Global League, saying it was a risk that had paid off with 55 players of colour among the 144 players chosen in the draft at the weekend, including 19 black Africans.
“We did debate having targets but decided not to because we have a bottom-up approach with our hubs and schools. It was a risk but we want to see our players come through naturally and it was pleasing to see black players chosen as some of the best-paid by people who had no compulsion to do so.
“It shows our system is working, foreign coaches wanting those players is what we are aiming for. We will not relent in terms of our development of black players either, because your market is where your majority is and you don’t have to be a professor of economics to understand that. We’re doing it the hard way, from the bottom up,” Lorgat said.
The CEO and tournament director Russell Adams announced the fixtures for the T20 Global League yesterday in Cape Town, with 57 games being played over six weeks. With each team playing the other seven franchises home and away, it means there will be no play-offs but the top two teams after the league phase will go straight into the final at the Wanderers on Saturday, December 16.
With Johannesburg guaranteed the final for the foreseeable future, it means Cape Town will host the opening game, between the Knight Riders and the Pretoria Mavericks, on Friday, November 3, at least this year.
“In future the opening match will be played at the home of the winners of the previous year’s tournament. We also had a big debate about where to stage the final, but there are logistical challenges around having it in Cape Town around December 16 – there’s the World Sevens Series and everyone is on holiday.
“Wanderers has a bigger capacity and there are more flights and accommodation available in Johannesburg. And we are looking to make the final at one host venue a fixture of the tournament which means people can do their planning, they can even make their bookings for the Wanderers on December 16, 2020,” Lorgat said.