C Bryden: Bacher's Super 8 plan a knockout (10 Aug 1997)

August 10 1997

Bacher's Super 8 plan a knockout

by Colin Bryden

CRICKET'S version of a Super 12-type provincial competition could be launched in the 1998/99 season.

Chief executives from South Africa, Australia and New Zealand have discussed a day-night tournament involving the leading sides from each country.

Ali Bacher of the United Cricket Board said the proposed competition could constitute an upgraded version of the Standard Bank Cup knockout.

"Like the present Cup, I envisage an eight-team competition playing knockout matches," said Dr Bacher.

"There would be two teams each from South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, one other team from Africa and possibly one from the south-east Asia region."

Because of the congested programmes in southern hemisphere seasons, the tournament would be played in a single week in one country.

As the originator of the idea, Dr Bacher wants the first competition to be played in South Africa, with the other two major cricket nations taking their turns in the next two seasons.

The Standard Bank Cup currently is contested by the top six finishers in the Standard Bank League plus teams from Zimbabwe and Kenya. Natal were the first winners last season. The programme for the coming season has already been announced. The idea will be taken further when Dr Bacher goes to Singapore on August 29 for a meeting of a committee set up by the International Cricket Council to investigate the frequency of the World Cup and the feasibility of a world Test championship. He will meet with Australian board chairman Denis Rogers and New Zealand's Sir John Anderson, who are also part of the committee.

"It will be a tremendous incentive for the state or provincial teams in all three countries and will add a new dimension to provincial day-night cricket in South Africa," said Dr Bacher. To overcome the problem of providing exposure for different sponsors, teams will wear the logos of the companies backing their domestic competitions.

Source :: The Sunday Times