Cricket in South Africa

Cricket in South Africa
Country South Africa
Governing body Cricket South Africa
National team(s) South Africa
Nickname(s) The Proteas
First played 1808
National competitions
Club competitions

Cricket is the second most popular sport in South Africa, and is popular among English-speaking as well as Afrikaans-speaking whites, and the Asian/Indian community. South Africa is one of the world's leading cricket-playing nations, and is one of 12 countries sanctioned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to play Test Cricket.

It also hosted the 2003 Cricket World Cup and the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007.

History

Cricket in South Africa was established by the British, and the first tour by a side from England took place in 1888–89. Here South Africa played its first Test match (against touring England at Port Elizabeth), becoming the third test nation.

In 1970, the ICC voted to suspend South Africa from international Cricket indefinitely because of its government's policy of apartheid, an overtly racist policy, which led them to play only against the white nations (England, Australia, New Zealand), and field only white players. This decision excluded players such as Graeme Pollock from partaking in international Test Cricket. It would also cause the emigration of future stars like Tony Greig, Allan Lamb and Robin Smith, who all played for England, and Kepler Wessels, who initially played for Australia, before returning to South Africa.

The ICC reinstated South Africa as a Test nation in 1991 after the deconstruction of apartheid, and the team played its first sanctioned match since 1970 (and its first ever One-Day International) against India in Calcutta on 10 November 1991.

Demographics

Cricket was traditionally popular among English-speaking whites, and the Asian/Indian community, though the latter were not able to compete in top level South African cricket in the Apartheid era. Since the end of the Apartheid era a higher proportion of white players have come from Afrikaans-speaking backgrounds like Lance Klusener, Kepler Wessels, Hansie Cronje, Allan Donald, Boeta Dippenaar, Herschelle Gibbs, AB de Villiers, Quinton de Kock, Francois du Plessis, Rilee Rossouw, JP Duminy, Charl Langeveldt, Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn among others. Its popularity has grown markedly amongst other groups, though cricket remains the favourite sport for Coloured and Asian/Indian as well as people of English descent. This has other reasons, since cricket can be an expensive and is a typically middle class game, it does not appeal to blacks like football or rugby union does. However, a considerable number of blacks have played cricket for South Africa since the late 1990s, the most notable being Makhaya Ntini (who was the first black cricketer to play for South Africa), Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Aaron Phangiso, Kagiso Rabada and Temba Bavuma.

Today, cricket is the second most popular sport in South Africa, and is the only sport in the country to feature in the top 2 sports of all race groups. This has had both successes – Herschelle Gibbs, a Cape Coloured, is one of the sport's most dominating batsmen and the black bowler Makhaya Ntini reached number 2 in the ICC Player Rankings in 2006 – and unintended side effects. Kevin Pietersen, who is white and was born to a South African father and English mother, left the country claiming that he was put at a disadvantage by the quota system, and within a few years became one of the world's top batsmen – as a member of the England cricket team.

Governing body

Formerly known as the United Cricket Board of South Africa, Cricket South Africa is the governing body for professional and amateur cricket in South Africa.

South Africa is a full member of the International Cricket Council and African Cricket Association with Test and One Day International status.

Domestic cricket

Franchises

South Africa's first-class competition began in 1889–1890 and was known as the Currie Cup. The competition was mainly contested by provincial sides until the 2003–2004 season, after which the domestic structure was revamped to introduce six franchise teams (the same applied to South Africa's primary List A and Twenty20 competitions). South Africa's three major domestic competitions are the Sunfoil Series (four day first class competition), the MTN Domestic Championship (List A one-day competition) and Standard Bank Pro 20 Series (domestic Twenty20 competition).

Generally encompassing more than one provincial associate team, six first-class teams were formed to take part in the SuperSport Series, MTN Championships and Pro 20 Series competitions, starting from the 2004-2005 season.

(*Since formation in 2006–2007)

CSA Provincial Competitions

In addition to the franchise tournaments, the 13 provincial teams (and a representative side from neighbouring Namibia) compete in the CSA Provincial Competitions. These include a first-class (three-day), List A (50 over) and Twenty20 tournament. However, in October 2018 Namibia withdrew from South Africa's provincial competitions, citing issues around costs and logistics.[1][2]

Africa T20 Cup

The Africa T20 Cup began in 2015 as a curtain-raiser to the 2015–16 South African domestic season. The tournament has been characterised as "essentially a showcase in cricket development".[3] The 13 provincial sides and Namibia compete in the tournament, alongside representative sides from Kenya and Zimbabwe.

National teams

The South African team at The Oval in August 2008.

The South Africa national cricket team, also known as the Proteas is the national cricket team representing South Africa. They are administrated by Cricket South Africa.

South Africa is a full member of the International Cricket Council with Test, One Day International and Twenty20 International status. South Africa also runs a women's team.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Namibia withdraw from South Africa's provincial competitions". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  2. ↑ "Namibia exits from SA cricket competitions". The Namibian. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  3. ↑ Antoinette Muller (22 April 2015). "Africa T20 Cup: A mixed bag, but good news on the whole" – Daily Maverick. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  • Cricket South Africa web site
  • Cricinfo
  • South Africa Cricket News
  • Cricinfo: South Africa – First-class teams
  • Henri Steenkamp (October 19, 2015). "The History of Cricket in South Africa". Retrieved March 17, 2018.
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