Cricket SA learns from NZ debacle

Not wanting to “shoot itself in the foot” again, Cricket SA is close to sealing a deal with its England counterpart that will allow it to avoid embarrassment the next time the Proteas’ schedule coincides with the SA20. 

Though England’s next tour to SA is three years away Cricket SA is understood to have worked out a plan for the schedule that will see the Test series conclude before the 2027 SA20. The English limited-overs side then returning for the two white-ball series later in February that year. 

Cricket SA was stung by the criticism it received when the selection of a Proteas team for the tour to New Zealand earlier this season was severely compromised because Test coach Shukri Conrad was not allowed to select any of the nationally contracted players. Others who had already been contracted by the SA20 franchise were also not available. 

The fallout from Cricket SA’s decision to back its moneymaking T20 franchise competition saw the organisation accused of undermining the status of Test cricket, with a number of prominent personalities in the sport questioning the future of the format. 

SA’s players were left fuming too and in recent weeks Dean Elgar and Kagiso Rabada outlined their angst about Cricket SA’s decision. Elgar told espncricinfo.com, that the circumstances surrounding the tour were “pretty s**t”. In an interview with Indian agency PTI, Rabada repeatedly said the planning for the tour was “unacceptable”. 

“That is a planning issue and it has got to do with what is happening at the higher level; what happened with Cricket SA. It was basically a double-book, that was what it was,” Rabada said.

“At the end of the day, we didn't really get a choice to even go [to New Zealand] because of the importance of the SA20. It is like shooting yourself in the foot.”

The undermanned SA side lost the short series 2-0, ending a long record of never having lost a Test series to New Zealand.

While Elgar’s international retirement may ease the sting of his critique, Rabada’s prominence and outspokenness made clear to Cricket SA’s senior officials they could not err so badly again.

Hence negotiations with the England Cricket Board have opened and there is optimism among Cricket SA officials that the tour will be split in two and neither the national team nor the SA20 will be compromised. 

The 2026-27 season is going to be a busy one for SA, who will also host Australia and Sri Lanka for a total of five Tests before England arrive in December 2026. Besides the history, a tour by England is one of the few where Cricket SA can earn money from Test matches, while their large touring supporter groups — including the “Barmy Army” — add millions to local coffers.