Cricket South Africa launches four-team women's T20 league
Cricket South Africa (CSA) has launched the Women's T20 Super League, a tournament that seeks to provide more game time and competition for South Africa's best women players.
The inaugural edition starts Friday at Irene Country Club, and will have six matches played over the weekend between four teams in a round-robin format. A second leg of the league will follow in Cape Town in December.
"We need to address the lack of game time and provide more competitive cricket for the women's structure in order to produce quality cricketers and to improve the pool of players for national selection," CSA head of pathways Edward Khoza said.
"The Super League is a concept that will be utilised to close the performance gaps of identified players and coaches within the CSA pipeline, introducing a minimum three Super League weekends - strength v strength - per season whereby players are drafted into four teams with the specific focus of preparing players for international competition."
The league is chiefly looking at promoting domestic talent with a pool of 52 players, and with the aim to contribute to the preparation for next year's T20 World Cup.
"This is a great way to shine a light on the growth of women's cricket which will provide more opportunities for female cricketers around the country who will ultimately be considered for national selection," Khoza said.
Squads
Devnarain XI: Dane Van Niekerk, Andrie Steyn, Zintle Kula, Mignon du Preez, Sinalo Jafta, Faye Tunnicliffe, Eliz-Mari Marx, Shabnim Ismail, Tumi Sekhukune, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tshegofatso Rampai, Jane Winster, Anri Grobbelaar
Coach: Denisha Devnarain Assistant coach: Dillon du Preez
M van der Merwe XI: Lizelle Lee, Lara Goodall, Sune Luus, Izeabella Hester Cilliers, Marizanne Kapp, Delmi Tucker, Michaela Andrews, Christine Tomlinson, Zintle Mali, Evodia Yekile, Nadia Mbokotwana, Nicole De Klerk, Tebogo Macheke
Coach: Martelize van der Merwe Assistant coach: Jimmy Kgamadi
F van der Merwe XI: Tazmin Brits, Robyn Searle, Nadine de Klerk, Gandhi Jafta, Trisha Chetty, Alyssa Elxlebben, Ayabonga Khaka, Moseline Daniels, Raisibe Ntozakhe, Khayakazi Mathe, Yolani Fourie, Carmen Nagel
Coach: Francois van der Merwe Assistant coach: Mark Charlton
Terblanche XI: Laura Wolvaardt, Annemarie Dercksen, Saarah Smith, Anneke Bosch, Chloe Tryon, Nondumiso Shangase, Verunissa Reddy, Masabata Klaas, Tatum Le Roux, Jade de Fiquerido, N Baneti, Nicolene Janse Van Rensburg, Palesa Mapoo
Coach: Claire Terblanche Assistant coach: Ephraim Nyawo