CSA forge ahead with T20 plans
JOHANNESBURG: Cricket South Africa is continuing to forge ahead with establishing its T20 competition for the upcoming season, even as all around it the support structures seem to be crumbling.
CSA was still considering bids from at least 10 of its provincial affiliates yesterday, hoping to finalise the process to see which venues will host the six franchises for the new competition due to start in the second week of November.
This is happening despite CSA’s equity partner for the competition, SuperSport, withdrawing from the arrangement on Tuesday night, leaving CSA as the sole shareholder. CSA are understood to believe they can make up any shortfall from SuperSport disassociating itself from the tournament through the broadcast deal they still hope to sign with the satellite TV company.
Independent Media understands that a number of provincial CEOs are desperate for the tournament to go ahead, fearing further reputational damage to CSA.
The federation has remained largely quiet about the competition in recent weeks despite numerous early utterances from new CEO Thabang Moroe about details being announced soon regarding the tournament’s structure and the involvement of international players and sponsors.
The only official word from a CSA spokesman yesterday was that any public utterances about the tournament will have an impact on more than just the federation, and that more time be granted to CSA before it can update the public, players and coaches about its plans.
As yet there is still no official date for when the 2018/19 domestic season is supposed to start.
Meanwhile, the spectre of a possible trip to the courts still lingers over CSA, which has found itself in a protracted battle with owners of franchises which were lined up to participate in the T20 Global League last year.
That event was cancelled when CSA failed to sign a broadcast deal or a headline sponsor. It has already cost CSA over R200 million, but the previous owners have maintained that they haven’t been properly compensated for their investment and that they are due a stake in any new competition CSA might establish.
There was some good news out of England yesterday with scans on Dale Steyn’s groin revealing just a Grade 1 strain which will keep the veteran fast bowler on the sidelines for up to two weeks. He will miss one match for his English County Hampshire and hopes to return for their match against Worcestershire on September 4.