[ad_1]
South Africa’s national teams face tougher transformation goals aimed at ensuring that by the 2022-23 season they have a squad with seven players of color. The new measures may have already been put in place, although they have not yet been made public, and they see a greater requirement on the number of black African players on the team this season, which will ultimately only leave room for four white players in an XI.
Since the goals were reintroduced after the 2015 World Cup, the men’s national team has been required to include six players of color, of whom at least two must be black African, but need not have that combination at all games. Instead, the goal is calculated on average over the course of a season, allowing some flexibility in selection.
While that adjustment will continue, in a presentation made to the country’s sports minister Nathi Mthethwa, the percentage of black African players required on the team is now 25% (up from 18% until the end of last season). Next season, 2021-22, the percentage increases to 27%, and in the 2022-23 season it stands at 33%. The number of players of color required overall is 58% now and will increase to 63% by 2022-23.
READ ALSO: Rabada discarded from the ODI series due to groin strain
While the percentages don’t always equate to exactly a set number of players, they do mean that this season South Africa needs to line up six to seven players of color on a team, of which at least three should be black Africans most of the time. . By 2022-23, South Africa will aim to include seven players of color in its teams, of which between three and four will be black Africans.
The goals are self-set by CSA and are understood to have been well received by the ministry, which has previously criticized cricket’s record of transformation.
“The only thing I can say is that I was in a transformation meeting and they gave us a complete outline of the rules and regulations and that’s what we have to abide by,” South Africa head coach Mark Boucher said after the defeat of his team in the third T20I against England in Newlands.
“I don’t know if they’ve taken it to the minister yet. It’s hard for me to answer that. I think someone above me needs to answer that. If you look at the three black Africans, they are very good cricketers. It’s not my place. answer this, I have to select a team that I think can do a job that day and I select that team together with Victor. [Mpitsang] and Enoch [Nkwe]. “
CSA has not responded to requests for confirmation on the targets, but recent selections have provided some evidence of its plan. In the three T20Is against England, South Africa lined up five colored players, short of old and new targets, of which three have been black Africans.
In particular, Anrich Nortje was part of the warm-ups in the first T20I at Newlands, alongside Kagiso Rabada and Beuran Hendricks, but was left out of the match in favor of Lungi Ngidi, who scored his career only minutes before the draw. In the second match, Pite van Biljon was left out and Reeza Hendricks came in, allowing Nortje to play in for Hendricks. And in the third, with Kagiso Rabada out injured, Lutho Sipamla was included in a direct exchange. In all three matches, South Africa has been without a sewing bowling SUV as Andile Phehukwayo is unavailable for selection and Dwaine Pretorius is injured, and his team’s balance has been affected.
Rabada has also been ruled out of the ODI, making the selection of South Africa even more difficult from the perspective of strength and team transformation. Ngidi, Phehlukwayo and Junior Dala are the other black African bowlers on the team, with Glenton Stuurman, Keshav Maharaj and Bjorn Fortuin all players of color. Among the hitters, Bavuma (black African) and Hendricks are South Africa’s only options.
It remains to be seen exactly what all this means for the 46% of the workforce who are white. Janneman Malan and Kyle Verreynne still have a match to play and David Miller, who has not been available for the T20s, may return for the ODI, adding another layer of complication to the way South Africa chooses their team.
It is understood that team leadership understands the need for accelerated and aggressive transformation and is in favor of being transparent about how the goals work.
CSA will also focus on transforming its coaching staff, with the presentation indicating that 60% of the national team consultants will be black Africans and the other 40% will be people of color. In September, CSA confirmed that it will apply an affirmative action policy when hiring consultants.
