Western Province are among the eight teams named in the top tier of South Africa’s new first-class cricket structure.
The rest of the eight-team top tier comprises Boland, Eastern Province, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal Coastal, North West and Northerns.
The new system will start later this year and effectively replace franchise cricket, which was instated in 2003-04.
Western Province were the last to win the country’s premier first-class competition, prior to the change to franchise cricket in 2003-04. KwaZulu-Natal were runners-up that year.
Cricket South Africa confirmed the new structure will exist for two seasons before a promotion and relegation system will commence.
Division 1
- Western Province
- Boland
- Eastern Province
- Free State
- Central Gauteng Lions
- KwaZulu-Natal Coastal
- North West
- Northerns
Division 2
- Mpumalanga
- KwaZulu-Natal Inland
- South Western Districts
- Northern Cape
- Easterns
- Border
- Limpopo
“We would like to thank independent evaluation committee chairman Dave Richardson and his task team for all their hard work and efforts to help us get to this point,” said CSA members’ council acting president Rihan Richards.
“I would like to congratulate those teams that have made it into the two divisions. Today is the culmination of a process that started back in 2016, when it became apparent that in order for CSA to maintain its position as a powerhouse in world cricket, it needed to create a strong pool of players reflective of our society.
“It was imperative that we reviewed our domestic structure to deliver on these goals. We have worked hard to get here and we believe this new structure will go a long way towards helping us achieve some of the goals laid down at the outset.”