Start of amateur cricket matches postponed
JOBURG – Schools, cricket clubs and provincial teams will have to wait until 1 February for matches to resume.
The start of all non-professional cricket has been postponed, Cricket South Africa (CSA) confirmed in a statement on 6 January.
CSA had originally plotted a return of provincial cricket, clubs, schools and KFC Mini-Cricket from the first week of January but due to the current national Level 3 lockdown amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, no amateur cricket will be possible. Clubs and coaches are still holding training sessions but matches will only resume when CSA confirms.
“The senior provincial men’s season had been due to get underway tomorrow with the start of the 3-Day Provincial Cup with five matches scheduled across the country. The teams would have then gone on to compete in the opening round of the CSA Provincial One-Day Cup on Sunday, 10 January,” CSA said.
“A bumper weekend of cricket awaited the provincial women’s teams, with both the 50-over and T20 competitions earmarked for Saturday, 9 January and Sunday, 10 January respectively.
“Following the success of the recent Women’s T20 Super League, which was held in December in Cape Town, provincial teams had their sights set on building on that momentum in the CSA Women’s Provincial T20 tournament. Instead, they will continue to practise at their training grounds.”
Acting head of Cricket Pathways, Edward Khoza said, “Cricket South Africa and its members are exercising their duty of care by adjusting the initial timeframe for the resumption of the game at this level.
“While we appreciate the eagerness of our buddying cricketers to play, we are unfortunately [constrained] by the reality of the Covid-19 pandemic that is currently gripping the country, from which cricket is not spared.”
He added that in an effort to make up lost time to amateur cricket, the governing body is considering extending the season to the end of May.
“Further, senior provincial men and women will be prioritised as we explore the option of having tournaments played within bio-secure environments.”
The revised tournament schedules will be announced at a later stage.
