Cricket South Africa could ditch 45-over cricket

Hot on the heels of the ECB ditching 50-over cricket at domestic level, Cricket South Africa (CSA) is also going to examine the future of their one-day format which could result in the end of the 45-over MTN Domestic Championship.

At CSA's annual conference in Johannesburg, it was decided to maintain the current 45-over duration for the first round of the 2009-10 season which starts on October 28, but a new structure could be in place shortly after that. It adds further weight to the theory that 50-over cricket is living on borrowed time after the ECB revealed it would play a 40-over tournament alongside Twenty20 from the 2010 season.

At the recent ICC executive board meeting in London there was a recommendation from the cricket committee that the current ODI format needed to be looked at because of waning interest in 50-over matches. The ECB is expected to ask the ICC to review the ODI structure after the 2011 World Cup in Asia.

"Cricket around the world is moving in a new direction and it is important that, as a board, we consider the changing face of the game and make decisions in line with this," said CSA president Dr Mtutuzeli Nyoka. "The 45-over game is an area of concern so we are hoping that in the next few weeks cricket's stakeholders are able to come up with an innovative solution to this problem which works for cricket, and for the sponsors, who invest substantial amounts of money in the game."

Tony Irish, CEO of the South African Cricketers Association, added: "From a players' point of view, we are keen to look at innovation and move with the times. We are happy that the decision retains the 45-over format in the first round of the competition but also gives CSA time to get extensive cricketing input on whether or not this should change in the second round."

Playing 45-over cricket at domestic level hasn't hindered South Africa's performances on the international stage where they are now No. 1 in the world. The ECB used this as an example of why switching from 50 to 40-over matches would not harm England's chances on the world stage while ODIs remained in the current format.

The commercial deals for 50-over World Cups have been signed until 2015, but the push for change could overtake events. "The ICC has event, commercial and broadcast contracts in place up to and including the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2015," an ICC spokesperson said. "There is nothing to stop members experimenting with other formats but the ICC is committed to three viable formats of the game - Tests, ODIs and T20Is."