New Format For Limited-Overs In South Africa (03 Apr 1996)

NEW FORMAT FOR LIMITED-OVERS

Trevor Chesterfield

Free State have yet to have their name engraved for a third successive time on the day/night series trophy, but already the old order is being replaced with an upmarket version by the new sponsors. This much emerged this week when the new limited-overs sponsors, Standard Bank, and the United Cricket Board unveiled a new format for next summer, which will consist of two linked, but separate series: the league trophy and the knock-out cup

All of which will make the domestic one-day series that much more interesting (and financially attractive) to the provinces. The league series consists of 10 matches played by the 11 sides who competed in the B&H series. This time, however, it is a competition in itself with the winner collecting a prize instead of a raspberry of being knocked out in the semi-final stages.

Replacing the league format in the second half of the summer is a knock-out series with eight sides involved: the top six from the league along with Kenya and Mashonaland, currently Zimbabwe`s top provincial team, with the winner being decided over a three leg final.

Dr Ali Bacher, managing director of the UCB, said unhappiness had been expressed over the mixture of a league and a knock-out competition. "South Africa won all pool matches at the World Cup and then were eliminated in the quarter-finals. Likewise we had Western Province winning all 10 of their day-night series matches, but received no advantage for this in the semi-finals other than having home advantage for the third leg. In any case, finishing first meant Province had to play Free State, which was hardly an advantage at all," he said.

To put an end to this anomaly, the UCB and the new sponsors have, they hope, created a split system designed to suit all sides and even create double champions. The inclusion of Kenya and Mashonaland will lend African flavour to the knock-out tournament. If anything the new format should be more interesting with stiffer competition to finish first and places in the top six to play for, instead of four. This in turn should result in fewer meaningless matches during the latter stages of the league. No changes to the coloured clothing are envisaged. The 45 overs will be retained and most matches are planned for Friday nights and on Sundays.