Paarl — The Betway SA20 has been “just crazy”, according to Cricket SA (CSA) CEO Pholetsi Moseki.
The new six-team tournament has been a revelation since being launched at Newlands last week when MI Cape Town and Paarl Royals met. Fans have returned to cricket venues all around the country creating a new energy and excitement around a sport that has been embroiled in administrative chaos for the past two years.
The success of the Betway SA20 is critical to the financial long-term sustainability of CSA and Moseki is pleased that the early stages of the tournament have been well received.
“I was at the Wanderers on Tuesday. It’s just crazy. But it hasn’t just been the Wanderers. At Kingsmead last week, St George’s Park, in Paarl, and Newlands, it has definitely exceeded our expectations by a mile,” Moseki told IOL Sport on Thursday.
“We knew we had something special, but to be honest, in my head I was thinking from year two onwards, that’s when we would see the type of vibe it has created.
“But it’s been literally from the word go, from the first game of Newlands, and the momentum has basically been carried. We have a short break next week because of the internationals, so I’m hoping when we reconvene it will still be the same way. It has been amazing.”
The SA20 has also proved to be a platform for the talented young domestic players in South Africa to elevate their game to a higher stage. Prodigies like Dewald Brevis, Ryan Rickleton and Donavon Ferreria, along with the 22-year-old Proteas all-rounder Marco Jansen, have already left a significant mark on the tournament.
“I think for us, more than just the money portion of it, it was also to create opportunities for players. And these guys are playing at the highest level against top-class opposition,” Moseki said.
“And for them to be performing the way they are doing is good for the system. It is good for cricket, and it’s giving (CSA director of cricket) Enoch (Nkwe) and the selectors serious headaches, which is what we wanted.”
But have Moseki and his CSA team based at their plush Illovo offices learnt anything from SA20 that can be transferred to the other competitions in South Africa?
“Fan engagement, more than anything. Obviously, Cricket SA is intricately involved in this tournament, but SA20 has taken fan engagement to another level. For us, we have started already, but we definitely have to go bigger,” he said.
“Clearly people are hungry for cricket, they still love cricket. We just need to make sure for all our matches – domestic and international – we follow the same route. Obviously with far less budget than SA20, but I think for us the biggest thing is that fan engagement has been amazing.”
IOL Sport