New franchise in SA domestic T20 tournament

It's not quite the same as the IPL, BBL, BPL or any other cricketing premier league, but South Africa's domestic MiWAY T20 challenge has ensured it will have an added edge in its next season. The competition will include a seventh franchise, and the glamour factor will come from ten foreign players who will be spread around the squads. The new franchise is called Impi, a Zulu-word which means an armed body of men.

The new team was unveiled at a low-profile launch at a hotel next to OR Tambo International Airport, a far cry from the usually lavish affairs associated with Twenty20 competitions. It probably fit the occasion, though, because Impi will be based at the equally unspectacular Willowmoore Park in Benoni.

Former England Twenty20 captain Paul Collingwood will lead Impi and they have so far signed one other international: Ryan ten Doeschate, the South-African born Netherlands allrounder. The team has been allowed to contract four overseas players and are in advanced negotiations with another two. The idea behind the additional franchise is to give opportunities to players who just miss out on franchise selection and compete in the semi-professional leagues.

"There are too many players we are missing," Vincent Barnes, coach of Impi, told ESPNcricinfo. "I've been travelling around the country to watch players and strategise the compilation of this team and I had about 30 names in the end of players I thought could play. We could only contract 11 but we definitely have enough players in South Africa."

The 11 players include eight from major unions - four hail from the Johannesburg-based Gauteng union, three from Western Province and one from Kwa-Zulu Natal - and three from lesser-known areas. Adrian McLaren and Charl Pietersen from Griqualand West in Kimberley and Cobus Pienaar from the Benoni-based Easterns are in the squad.

"It's a big stage for them and I want to make it clear that we are here to compete and to win," Barnes said. Should Impi make it to the final, they will qualify for the Champions League T20, an even bigger stage.

Some of the other foreign players that will feature in the T20 tournament are not really foreigners at all. Alfonso Thomas and Martin van Jaarsveld, both of whom started their careers at what is now the Titans franchise but now play in England, will play as overseas players for Titans

Cobras have retained the services of Owais Shah and have added Brad Hogg to their squad. Lions have signed Dirk Nannes and will welcome Sohail Tanvir in time for their third match while the biggest drawcard of the event belongs to Dolphins, who have snagged Chris Gayle. Warriors and Knights were both unable to afford any internationals and will play with their regular domestic squads.

The competition was at risk of going unsponsored as CSA's much-talked about bonus scandal battles through its second year. However, short-term insurance company MiWAY came on board at the last minute to back the event. Impi have also managed to secure funding from the New Age newspaper, which recently completed its first year.

Their first match will be on February 17, against Lions, while the competition itself kicks off on February 15, with the first match featuring Warriors and Cobras in Port Elizabeth.

Impi squad: Paul Collingwood, Ryan ten Doeschate, Adrian McLaren, Dominic Hendricks, Richard Cameron, Cobus Pienaar, Charl Pietersen, Khaya Zondo, Siya Simetu, Beuran Hendricks, Craig Alexander, Pumelela Matshikwe, Ryan Canning