T20 league a big boost for the Bay

CRICKET fans and the metro have been clapping their hands with glee after Port Elizabeth was recently named as one of the venues to host the new T20 Global League.

The announcement followed hot-on-the-heels of news that R39-million would be spent by the metro on refurbishing St George’s Park ahead of the showpiece tournament.

It has been estimated that the T20 Global League tournament will rake in a staggering R1-billion over 10 years so the metro’s investment is set to be paid back many times over.

This is great news for an economy which has been rocked by a series of blows in recent times.

The revelation that the world’s No 1 T20 spin bowler, Imran Tahir, will be playing in Port Elizabeth colours along with five more international and 11 domestic players is guaranteed to get the turnstiles ticking.

With internationals of the calibre of Dwayne Bravo, Jason Roy, Chris Gayle, Brendon McCullum, Kevin Pietersen, Lasith Maligna and Eoin Morgan headlining the showpiece, spectators will be spoilt for choice when the league swings into action.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) must be applauded for limiting the international starting players to four per game, which will allow seven domestic players to gain valuable experience while competing alongside some of the best T20 exponents global cricket has to offer.

The old cliché “a change is as good as a holiday” will ring true over the next 10 years and 70 T20 Global League games as the Port Elizabeth public will get to identify with and cheer on domestic players who will not necessarily be Warriors.

And while the existing Eastern Cape franchise will retain their identity and continue to play CSA’s other three competitions, a fourth sporting franchise in the city should prove most welcome.

Most importantly from a metro point of view, the Port Elizabeth team will be self-sustaining, having been purchased from CSA by Dubai-based businessman Ajay Sethi.

The Indian-born communications mogul is likely to unveil his initial set of business plans for the franchise at a media briefing in Port Elizabeth this morning.

All that remains is for the Bay’s avid cricket fans to turn up in their thousands and support the new league when it starts in November.