We have witnessed a lot of player movements across the country due to the new structure of domestic cricket.
The franchise system will no longer be in play but there will be a two-tier system split into division 1 and 2. Provinces from both divisions have made available their confirmed squads and we will be looking at Probable XIs for the division one sides.
Normally Proteas are hardly available for 4-day cricket so teams will exclude some if not most and the teams will be picked based on the current CSA requirements for selection – a minimum of 6 players of colour, with a minimum of three black African players.
Western Province
1 Jono Bird
2 Tony de Zorzi
3 Zubayr Hamza
4 Hashim Amla
5 David Bedingham
6 Kyle Verreynne (wk)
7 Aviwe Mgijima
8 George Linde
9 Wayne Parnell
10 Vernon Philander
11 Mihlali Mpongwana
Western Province boasts a vastly experienced side with guys like Hashim, Vern and Wayne Parnell all coming back and if you include someone like Bash, who has also been around for quite some time. They are probably one of the “biggest buyers” in the market. The Western Province youngsters will get to rub shoulders with some of the best in the history of our cricket which is a big boost.
Boland
1 Janneman Malan
2 Pieter Malan
3 Isma-eel Gafieldien
4 Stiaan van Zyl
5 Michael Copeland
6 Hlomla Hanabe (wk)
7 Shaun von Berg
8 Ferisco Adams
9 Siyabonga Mahima
10 Kyle Abbott
11 Achille Cloete
Another Province to have gone all out in the market to try and secure quality players. They were very successful at luring quality to the province as they managed to secure the players like Pieter and Janneman Malan, ex Kolpaks in Abbott and Viljoen to complete what looks like a really good-looking Boland squad. I am sure a lot of people will be hoping that domestic cricket will be on our screens again because as we would have seen in the MSL, watching Boland play is a bucket list thing. Boland is also one of just two Division 1 sides to sign a current U19 player.
KZN Coastal
1 Sarel Erwee
2 Thamsanqa Khumalo
3 Keegan Petersen
4 Marcus Ackerman
5 Khaya Zondo
6 Grant Roelofsen (wk)
7 Eathan Bosch
8 Thando Ntini
9 Prenelan Subrayen
10 Ottniel Baartman
11 Daryn Dupavillon
Predominantly the then Dolphins squad and arguably the most balanced squad in the division. The Coastal side has also been busy on the market as they secured 3 allrounders in Bryce Parsons, Thando Ntini and Jason Smith. One can only imagine what the level of competitiveness will be in that camp.
Eastern Province
1 Matthew Breetzke
2 Eddie Moore
3 Rudi Second
4 Diego Rosier
5 Sinethemba Qeshile (wk)
6 Jon-Jon Smuts
7 Lesiba Ngoepe
8 Marco Jansen
9 Glenton Stuurman
10 Mthiwekhaya Nabe
11 Dane Paterson
Not a side that signed too many as they decided to keep the majority of what was the Warriors squad. They have bolstered their squad with Dane Paterson, Sekhukhune and Rosier. All eyes will be on young Tristan Stubbs after he made his presence felt in the T20 tournament.
Free State
1 Matthew Kleinveldt
2 Jacques Snyman
3 Raynard van Tonder
4 Pite van Biljon
5 Farhaan Behardien
6 Patrick Kruger
7 Wandile Makwetu (wk)
8 Migael Pretorius
9 Gerald Coetzee
10 Gregory Mahlokwana
11 Mbulelo Budaza
Kept most players from the Knights and Free State but added Mangi Mosehle and Greg Mahlokwana to their squad.
Gauteng
1 Joshua Richars
2 Dominic Hendricks
3 Reeza Hendricks
4 Kagiso Rapulana
5 Ryan Rickelton (wk)
6 Ruan Haasbroek
7 Bjorn Fortuin
8 Lutho Sipamla
9 Tladi Bokako
10 Sisanda Magala
11 Duanne Olivier
Still mostly an old Lions team but with the addition of a few rookies and the surprise signing of D Olivier.
North West
1 Lesego Senokwane
2 Heino Kuhn
3 Senuran Muthusamy
4 Shaylen Pillay
5 Wesley Marshall
6 Nicky van den Berg (wk)
7 Delano Potgieter
8 Chad Classen
9 Lwandiswa Zuma
10 Eldred Hawken
11 Johannes Diseko
A lot of people believe North West players have simply gone home thanks to the new system. They quite a number of signings like Senuran Muthusamy and Marco Jansen’ twin, Duan Jansen. Will be interesting to see how they line up.
Northerns
1 Jiveshan Pillay
2 Grant Mokoena
3 Gihahn Cloete (wk)
4 Theunis de Bruyn
5 Neil Brand
6 Dewald Brevis
7 Dayyaan Galiem
8 Simon Harmer
9 Okhule Cele
10 Junior Dala
11 Lizaad Williams
One of two sides to sign a current U19 player. Not too many players signed but a few interesting signings in Simon Harmer and we see A Phangiso also return to Pretoria
It will be interesting to really see how these sides actually line up for their matches. The above XIs are strictly for first-class cricket matches and may be very different for the white ball format.
