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By Stuart Hess 
18h ago
JOHANNESBURG – South African cricket will once again be a provincial system following the acceptance by Cricket SA of a plan for the restructuring of the national game.
Under the plan, the six franchises, which are currently the highest tier in national cricket, will be dissolved and the 15 provincial teams will replace them. Cricket SA’s Council of Members approved the new plan on Friday, which follows deliberations by a task force led by former ICC CEO Dave Richardson.
The creation of a new national structure has been in play for some years after Cricket SA claimed that local sport placed a huge financial burden on the organization and that the franchise system, which has been in operation since the 2003 season / 04. , it was not making money.
The restructuring was a focal point of ‘Project 654’, the belt-tightening exercise that CSA undertook two and a half years ago. It led to the severance of relations with the players union, the SA Cricket Players Association, which took CSA to court claiming that the players had not been properly informed about the planned restructuring as CSA had a duty to do so in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding between the two bodies.
Cricket SA emphasized Friday that SACA had been keeping track of the restructuring since Richardson first made the proposals last February.
Under the new structure, 15 teams will be divided into two sections: an 8-7 division in a 1st and 2nd Division 2 layout with automatic promotion and relegation to be implemented.
Teams from both divisions will play a single round of matches in the four-day competition, a one-day tournament, and a T20 competition. Cricket SA was unclear where there would be promotion / relegation in the three formats.
“This automatic ascent and descent system aims to provide a healthy tension in the system that will enhance a high-performance environment, while also providing opportunities for Division 2 members who want to be part of a competitive first division, he said. the CSA statement.
Cricket SA said that the 8-7 divisional division will be determined through a “bidding process” in which each member will be evaluated based on their “performance, both current and historical, against the defined evaluation Criteria, as well as their Strategic Plan. to run and maintain a professional team within the new professional era at the affiliate member level. “
“The upgrade will include: an improved contract system, an increase in the quantity and quality of opportunities, as well as an enhancement of leadership talent within CSA’s training structures,” CSA said in its statement on Friday.
“The proposed competition structure will offer more opportunities to players at the highest national first-class level, essentially expanding the talent pool for national selectors.”
The new structure is scheduled to launch in the 2021/22 season.
@shockerhess
IOL Sport
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