More than a dozen South African cricketers, with provincial, franchise or international experience, will be involved in Minor League Cricket in the United States of America this year.
The updated list includes former Lions and Nelson Mandela Bay Giants seamer Carmi le Roux.
South Africans in Minor League Cricket
- David Bunn (East Bay Blazers)
- David White (East Bay Blazers)
- Rusty Theron (East Bay Blazers)
- Justin Dill (New Jersey Stallions)
- Corne Dry (Atlanta Fire)
- Willem Ludick (Houston Hurricanes)
- Cody Chetty (Hollywood Master Blasters)
- Calvin Savage (Michigan Cricket Stars)
- Shadley van Schalkwyk (Seattle Thunderbolts)
- Andries Gous (Seattle Thunderbolts)
- Obus Pienaar (St Louis Americans)
- Carmi le Roux (Philadelphians)
- Dane Piedt (DC Hawks)
Other players of South African origin, including quartet Joshua Kind, Luke Schofield, David Pieters and Conrad Lotz, will play Minor League Cricket. Schofield and Kind will be with the St Louis Americans. Lotz plays for the Morrisville Cardinals. Pieters was signed as a free agent by the Irving Mustangs.
“Over the course of the coming weeks building up to the start of the Minor League Cricket season on Saturday, 31 July 2021, all 27 teams may also fill two free agent positions each.
“These positions can be selected by teams at any point up until halfway through the regular season and may come from the full list of players across the country. There are no geographic restrictions on free agents, but it is important to note that free agents must have registered and participated in the main draft to be eligible.”
What is Minor League Cricket?
Minor League Cricket is effectively a pathway to Major League Cricket, which will launch as a six-team tournament in 2022 or 2023.
Minor League Cricket will feature several other players of international experience, including New Zealander Corey Anderson, Sri Lankan Shehan Jayasuriya and Pakistani Sami Aslam.
West Indian duo Rahkeem Cornwall and Rayad Emrit have been selected as wildcard players for the Atlanta Fire and Fort Lauderdale Lions, respectively.