Franchise cricket will not form part of South Africa’s first-class structure next year.
The country’s premier first-class competition will comprise 15 provinces later this year.
Western Province, rather than the Cape Cobras; Free State, not the Knights, KwaZulu-Natal Inland and Coastal; instead of the Dolphins and others will represent the regions. This hasn’t happened since 2003-04.
SA’s first-class competition winners – 1979-80 to 2003-04
| Season | Winner | Runner-Up |
|---|---|---|
| 2003-04 | Western Province | KwaZulu-Natal |
| 2002-03 | Easterns | Western Province |
| 2001-02 | KwaZulu-Natal | Northerns |
| 2000-01 | Western Province | Border |
| 1999-2000 | Gauteng | Border |
| 1998-99 | Western Province | Border |
| 1997-98 | Orange Free State (now Free State) | Eastern Province |
| 1996-97 | Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal) | Western Province |
| 1995-96 | Western Province | Transvaal (now Gauteng) |
| 1994-95 | Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal) | Northern Transvaal (now Northerns) |
| 1993-94 | Orange Free State (now Free State) | Western Province |
| 1992-93 | Orange Free State (now Free State) | Eastern Province | Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal) | Transvaal (now Gauteng) |
| 1991-92 | Eastern Province | Orange Free State (now Free State) |
| 1990-91 | Western Province | Transvaal (now Gauteng) |
| 1989-90 | Western Province | Eastern Province | |
| 1988-99 | Eastern Province | Transvaal (now Gauteng) |
| 1987-98 | Transvaal (now Gauteng) | Orange Free State (now Free State) |
| 1986-87 | Transvaal (now Gauteng) | Western Province |
| 1985-86 | Western Province | Transvaal (now Gauteng) |
| 1984-85 | Transvaal (now Gauteng) | Northern Transvaal (now Northerns) |
| 1983-84 | Transvaal (now Gauteng) | Western Province |
| 1982-83 | Transvaal (now Gauteng) | Western Province |
| 1981-82 | Western Province | Transvaal (now Gauteng) |
| 1980-81 | Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal) | Western Province |
| 1979-80 | Transvaal (now Gauteng) | Western Province |
Total first-class titles – 1979-80 to 2003-04
- Western Province: 8 (one shared)
- Transvaal (now Gauteng): 7
- Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal): 4
- Eastern Province: 3 (one shared)
- Orange Free State (now Free State): 3
- Easterns: 1
Before 1980
Transvaal (now Gauteng), Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal), Orange Free State (now Free State) and others featured from 1889 to 1970, too. Read the list of winners prior to 1980.