Cricket South Africa using cash in transformation drive to lure black players

CSA will foot the salaries of both the black African players in domestic franchise cricket if teams pick two instead of the one black player that is required to be picked based on a new ruling.

Johannesburg: Cricket South Africa will foot the salaries of both the black African players in domestic franchise cricket if teams pick two instead of the one black player that is required to be picked based on a new ruling.

According to Sport24, plans to force the six franchises to field at least two black Africans in the three domestic competitions were shelved this weekend in favour of cash incentives. CSA chief Haroon Lorgat said that that they were not talking about quotas or sanctions-driven policies but were instead talking about incentives at franchise level, adding that they wanted to accelerate transformation. Lorgat added that the initiative was part of a drive to make cricket more representative of South Africa`s population. Only five black Africans, Makhaya Ntini, Mfuneko Ngam, Thami Tsolekile, Monde Zondeki and Lonwabo Tsotsobe have represented South Africa since readmission 22 years ago, the report said. The republic was barred from international cricket for several decades because of apartheid, the report added. ANI