Colts cricket will not be included in South Africa’s 2022-23 domestic season.
Colts cricket was effectively reintroduced for the 2021-22 domestic season, after provincial replaced franchise competition.
At the same time, amateur colts replaced semi-professional cricket, which previously supported franchise competition.
Budget restraints and other factors, however, have since seen Cricket South Africa suspend colts cricket for the 2022-23 season.
Western Province Colts.
What this means for club cricket
The absence of colts cricket will likely mean players who have not been selected at first-class, List A or professional T20 level in any given week – and are not necessarily within a provincial academy – will be available for club cricket.
There are several Western Province examples of this, including Green Point Cricket Club’s Saul Anstey and Victoria Cricket Club’s Pindile Tsolekile.
Anstey and Tsolekile were among 2021-22’s Western Province Colts recruits, but did not play for the province at professional level, and remain with Green Point Cricket Club and Victoria Cricket respectively.