Times Media
TELFORD VICE, Johannesburg
Cricket SA’s (CSA) commitment to finding more black African talent is reflected in the SA A squads announced for a tour to Australia.
Five of the 15 chosen in the four-day squad are black African, as are four of the 15 in the one-day group. Among them, in both squads, is Kagiso Rabada, the fast bowler whose 14 wickets at 10.28 helped SA win the under-19 World Cup in Dubai in March.
Eight of that squad of 15 were of colour, four of them black African. That made the 2014 under-19s the most transformed squad in SA’s history.
That they were also the most successful - SA had never won a World Cup at any level before - would surely have been part of the argument in favour of CSA’s decision, also announced yesterday, to require franchises to field a minimum of five players of colour in all competitions next season: one more than in previous summers. Two of those players must be black African.
Last season, the Dolphins, Cobras and Lions each averaged more than four players of colour per first-class match. The Knights, Warriors and Titans averaged four.
A controversial incentive scheme introduced last season, which rewarded franchises financially for fielding more than one black African player in 70% of their matches across all formats, has been scrapped.
CSA said they would increase the number of contracts offered to women players from six to 14.
SA A squads:
Four-day: Justin Ontong (captain), Temba Bavuma, Marchant de Lange, Simon Harmer, Beuran Hendricks, Reeza Hendricks, Rory Kleinveldt, Heino Kuhn, Eddie Leie, Mangaliso Mosehle, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Hardus Viljoen, David White, Khaya Zondo.
One-day: Justin Ontong (captain), Farhaan Behardien, Cody Chetty, Marchant de Lange, Simon Harmer, Beuran Hendricks, Reeza Hendricks, Rory Kleinveldt, Heino Kuhn, Mangaliso Mosehle, Aaron Phangiso, Kagiso Rabada, Rilee Rossouw, Mthokozisi Shezi, Vaughn van Jaarsveld.
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